


Misfits X

by kkukkungichokkomi



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Comedy, Community Service, Drugs, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Inspired by Misfits (TV 2009), Insults, M/M, Superpowers, changki, dumb powers, weird people, weird storm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-07-20 10:20:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 75,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19990531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkukkungichokkomi/pseuds/kkukkungichokkomi
Summary: The members of Monsta X face community service after getting caught by the police for different reasons, and they end up having superpowers after a strange storm.Inspired by Misfits, the TV series!





	1. Helping people can go wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I updated this story here a long time ago, but now I have more chapters written and I'm going somewhere with it...  
> So I really hope you like it and don't find it too dumb xD  
> It's pure comedy (bad comedy maybe), nothing here is serious (just some tiny parts)
> 
> Let me know what you think! :)

Prologue

Changkyun was walking back home after a tiring day at school. The night sky couldn’t be seen as clouds covered it completely. And he was staring at it, wondering whether it would rain later. The freezing breeze hitting his face didn’t feel as cold anymore, he was getting used to it. The sounds of the cars driving past him were loud, just like people’s voices. It was late at night already, but not that late. Seoul was still crowded and Changkyun was glad he could leave his classroom before midnight. He was studying so hard those days. It was his last year and he had to do well if he wanted to enter the university he had always aimed for. His parents were pressuring him a lot. His brother had been the top of his class and he was managing to achieve it too, but he was nervous. What if he messed up in his exams? He couldn’t dishonor his rich family.

Thankfully, walking around the city helped him relax and think less about his marks. He knew he would have to eat, sleep and keep on studying after he reached his destiny, so it was good to clear his mind a little. Changkyun was going as slowly as he could, but, as the noises of cars and people started fading, he sighed. He was getting closer to his house and he didn’t want to go in yet. Surprisingly, when he turned around the corner, he found some neighbors moving out and decided to help them. Changkyun didn’t know any of his neighbors and all because of his parents. That was the perfect opportunity to make some friends. The two men were probably 30 years old. They were wearing jeans and shirts and looked nice in Changkyun’s perspective. They were carrying a heavy TV out of the house and taking it to their minivan. “Hi!” Changkyun said as he got close enough. The men turned to look at him wide eyed and stopped what they were doing for a few seconds, waiting for the school boy to say something else. “Are you moving out? I’m Changkyun, I’m from around here. I could help you if you need” he smiled and the other two looked at each other before flashing him a friendly grin.

“Sure, thank you so much, boy” one of them replied, and motioned for Changkyun to grab the TV as well. They took several things to the minivan: video games, laptops, some expensive looking furniture and even some kitchen stuff. When the vehicle was full, the two of them thanked Changkyun once again. But, before they could get into the van, two police cars stopped in front and behind them, startling the school boy big time. The policemen pointed their guns at them and arrested them, including Changkyun. The latter tried to explain he didn’t know anything about it but they took him to the police station for interrogation anyway.

That night was the worst. Changkyun had never thought he would experience something like that in his entire life. The police officer kept him there for two hours but eventually realized the boy wasn’t lying and he was just dumb enough to help some robbers. He called Changkyun’s parents, who were extremely disappointed in him, and gave him an audience with a judge to decide what to do with him. He had helped some thieves and they couldn’t just let it slip. In the trip back home, the elders were quiet and thoughtful, but Changkyun was sure they would scold him when they got home. How could he had been so stupid?

After a long talk and some ‘healthy’ bullying from his brother, they let him go to sleep. Changkyun couldn’t do it, he was all night thinking about how badly he messed up and how he wasted his future in a few hours when he was being so careful not to fail. The moment his alarm rang, he turned it off and got ready to go to school, hoping he wouldn’t cry in the middle of the class out of frustration.

The day of his audience, the judge gave him six months of community service and he felt relieved. At least he wasn’t going to prison.


	2. Community Service

When Changkyun woke up that day, he didn’t know what to expect. He got dressed in his casual clothes as slowly as he could because he didn’t want to leave the comforts of his bedroom. The last weeks he had been thinking about the community service every single minute, trying to figure out how it would be like. Changkyun was scared and nervous. The other kids attending would surely be drug addicts or young criminals, and he was just a rich boy with good manners. What if the others hated him and bullied him? He had experienced that before, but he clearly didn’t want to do it again. His heart was beating like crazy in his ribcage and, the moment his mother called him for breakfast, he felt as if he would pass out any minute.  
Changkyun sat on his regular chair and his mom placed a plate of food in front him. “Eat” she simply said, but her son wasn’t hungry. The young man’s stomach closed itself every time he felt stressed out though he knew he had to eat if he didn’t want his mother to scold him. His parents had been very distant towards him; it was their way of punishing their son for being so stupid. The worst thing was that they didn’t scold his brother for anything and he was mocking him even more than before. Thankfully, it was Saturday and that annoying devil didn’t wake up till 11am.  
After long minutes of just staring at his plate, he grabbed his chopsticks and ate. Changkyun was being extremely slow, he knew it, but he would throw up if he did it faster. Before he was finished, his mom took the food away from him and told him to hurry. Changkyun didn’t want to, he wanted to be late for the first time in his life. He was a very responsible boy but not this time; not when he was heading to the place where some random man would make him do awful tasks without him having the possibility to decide.  
The sun was starting to rise when he went out of his house. There were already people walking down the streets and some cars passing by. Changkyun stared at the citizens moving around and, for the first time in his life, wished he was one of them. He knew everyone had problems but doing community service was worse than anything - at least to him -. His feet felt heavy as he walked to the subway station and, once he entered the train, his hands started shaking. Changkyun wasn’t strong enough to face something like that, he was always getting protection from others everywhere he went. Even at school his best friend Wonwoo defended him every time the bullies attacked him. He wasn’t ready to face young criminals. ‘I will die today’ he thought, trying to even his breathing and not panic that much. A panic attack wasn’t an option at that moment. Or maybe he could pretend he wasn’t feeling well so they would let him to go home.  
Changkyun tried to think about a plan but, before he decided on what to do, he arrived at the community centre. The place was huge. It had gray walls with a dynamic architecture all around. It had big columns and and enormous garden surrounding the building. It took long for Changkyun to finally reach the entrance, but it helped him focus on something else. Admiring the building made him get distracted, so he barely registered the moment he pushed the glass doors. The hall of the community centre was illuminated by huge windows and the space looked incredibly open. Changkyun read the signs and headed to the probation worker’s office. He didn’t know what to do so he wanted to ask. When he finally found his destiny, his nerves were back. He hesitantly knocked on the closed door and heard someone telling him to come in. It was barely a whisper, but he managed to catch it.  
“Um... good morning!” said Changkyun once he was in. “I’m Im Changkyun and I’m starting my community service today” he introduced himself to the man, who was staring at him as if he didn’t care about anything. The probation worker was probably in his late 30s. He was muscled and big, he looked like his gym teacher. His hair was completely black and he was wearing a tight sweater with some jeans.  
“Go to the locker room and put this on” the man stood up, searching for an orange jumpsuit that looked dirty and used. “I’m Shim Hyunjong and I’m your probation worker” he introduced himself, just like Changkyun did seconds ago. “You are early, though. No one else is here yet” he chuckled dryly. “You seem to be a responsible kid” he trailed off, handing the overall to the younger to then return to his desk. He ignored Changkyun after that and the latter decided to leave the office. It was awkward to be standing there with no purpose at all.  
Unlike the hall, the hallways of the place were a bit dark. The gray colour all over was depressing in Changkyun’s opinion and he regretted his whole life while walking through the building. The locker room was empty. It had two rows of lockers - some of them had holes or their doors wouldn’t close - and a line of white sinks which seemed a bit old. Changkyun checked everything out, taking his time before changing into that awful orange overall, folding his clothes carefully in his locker. He left his t-shirt and boxer shorts on under it and put on his shoes once again.  
When he was ready, he stood up and almost had a heart attack when he saw another person behind him through the wall-mirror. “Jeez” Changkyun placed his palm on his chest, breathing heavily. “You scared me” he said and turned around, finding a boy with a neutral expression standing by the door. The latter was maybe a little older than Changkyun but they were the same height. The male’s face was delicate and his hair was dyed in a purple tone, making him look extremely good. Changkyun liked that colour a lot, but he wouldn’t dare dyeing his black locks. His parents would murder him if he did and his principal would surely kick him out of school. “Hi, I’m Changkyun” he greeted, even if he was a bit scared. He didn’t know the other, and he didn’t know why he was there in the first place.  
“Kihyun” the purple haired replied, raising a brow at Changkyun’s hand, waiting to be shaken. “I’m not touching you, dude” he went past the younger, sighing in the process. Changkyun closed his hand and lowered it, feeling embarrassed. He was pretty awkward around other people, mostly if he didn’t know them, and his manners wouldn’t save him in that situation. Kihyun changed into his orange jumpsuit too and sat down on one of the benches. He didn’t notice Changkyun hadn’t moved from his spot until then and he let out a chuckle. “Are you a statue? Why are you still there?” he asked, making the younger blush in embarrassment. “Weirdo” Kihyun muttered as he searched for something in his backpack.  
“I’m not a statue, I’m just... um... I don’t really know what to do” Changkyun scratched his nape, feeling even more awkward than before. Sitting down seemed like a good idea so he did it, but he stayed as far from Kihyun as he could. The latter managed to find what he was looking for, and Changkyun spotted some earphones. He realized he had forgotten his and listening to music would be a good idea to kill some time. ‘Shit’ he cursed mentally as he stared at Kihyun. “What are you listening to?” he asked without intending to and Kihyun seemed annoyed.  
“Music” he answered and Changkyun chuckled.  
“Fine, I get it, I’ll stay quiet” the younger said, suddenly remembering he had his Math notebook in his backpack. He could just grab it and start solving some exercises. Changkyun didn’t like the subject and it was hard for him, so he preferred doing everything with time. He took his notebook and his pencil case, taking a pen out to start finally doing something.  
“How young are you?” Kihyun asked and Changkyun found him staring at his homework. Maybe he couldn’t believe a school boy was there, doing community service. Changkyun was in his last year, but it was still weird to find someone like him in the community centre.  
“I’m 18, I’m not that young” the younger answered.  
“You are still at school, man” Kihyun snatched the notebook from Changkyun’s hands. “And you are solving Math problems at 8am on Saturday” he shook his head in disbelief. “Why are you even here? You seem to be one of those kids who stay out of trouble” Kihyun seemed more interested in him now that he discovered he was still a high school student.  
Before Changkyun could reply, two boys entered the room, holding the same orange jumpsuit in their arms. One of them was blonde and was chewing gum with his mouth wide open - something Changkyun hated -, and the other one was a slightly taller brunette. They looked close. The blonde’s right arm was tangled with the other’s left one, and they were walking side by side as they chatted and laughed. Kihyun and Changkyun stared at them with a judging expression - but Changkyun didn’t notice how hard he was judging them -. “Hi~!” the blonde one said while the brunette just nodded his head as a greeting.  
“Hi” Changkyun said and quickly took his notebook away from Kihyun’s hands, placing it in his backpack before someone else saw it. After Kihyun’s words, he realized he shouldn’t be doing his homework in a place like that. Besides, he had all his exams in there and they had the highest mark.  
“I’m Minhyuk and this is Jooheon” the blonde introduced the both of them.  
“I’m Changkyun” the youngest replied.  
“Kihyun” Kihyun said, unamused. After them, two girls named Lucy and Hollie who were sisters arrived, and, lastly, two more guys: Hoseok and Hyungwon. Lucy was a bit taller than Hollie and had short light brown hair. Hollie, on the other hand, had very long, curly brunette hair, but they both had green eyes. They were from New York though they moved to Korea with their parents some years ago. Hoseok was a muscled man with chocolate brown hair. And, lastly, Hyungwon was extremely tall and skinny. His hair was gray and he looked very fancy. His thick lips and big, double-lidded eyes made him resemble a model.  
Changkyun wasn’t nervous after meeting them all. They seemed calm - except for Minhyuk who wouldn’t stop talking - and maybe they were just like him. Changkyun had expected something totally different when he arrived that morning so he wasn’t that worried anymore. They were all older than him, but Jooheon was 19, so he didn’t feel like a dumb kid.  
When they were all ready, their probation worker went to look for them. The man didn’t seem to like his job and gave them an exhausting task. He sent them outside to paint some benches around the huge garden that surrounded the building. The worst of it all was that he gave them some brushes instead of paint rollers and he stayed near them for a while to make sure they were doing everything right. It wasn’t until Hyunjong left that Minhyuk started talking again, complaining about the probation worker.  
“By the way” Minhyuk paused, lazily painting the bench while sitting on the side he wasn’t touching with the brush. “What was your crime? Why are you all here?” the blonde asked and Kihyun growled. Changkyun wasn’t willing to tell his but, thankfully, Hoseok started.  
“I stole snacks from different grocery shops...” he said and Hyungwon laughed. “Hey! It wasn’t on purpose! I was hungry and I didn’t realize it” he sighed. “They caught me when they checked the security cameras because I ate them all while I was checking the sweets shelves out” it was completely absurd, Changkyun thought, but it wasn’t as stupid as his.  
“You are a dummy” Minhyuk laughed, slapping Hoseok’s muscled arm and squeezing it right after. It was cold outside, but Hoseok started feeling hot after a while of painting and took off the top of his orange jumpsuit, tying up the sleeves at the front. Minhyuk seemed to like his body because he wouldn’t stop checking him out. “Well, I was casually giving Heony a blow job and the police saw us... it wasn’t pretty” he said, caressing Jooheon’s hair seductively, and Changkyun widened his eyes. He was such a virgin, he couldn’t even imagine how someone would do something like that in public. Everyone’s judging stares told Minhyuk he wouldn’t get any reaction at all, just a low ‘ew’ from Hoseok so he decided to add something else. “There was no one around! And it was completely dark” he explained as if that would change anything. Changkyun was wondering if Jooheon was Minhyuk’s boyfriend or if they were just fucking.  
“Don’t tell those stories, Minhyuk-hyung” Jooheon sighed, not feeling comfortable at all.  
“Fine” Minhyuk whined, crossing his arms over his chest. “Someone else do it now” he ordered, still pouting. He didn’t stop doing it until Jooheon kissed his cheek and apologized. Maybe they were together as a couple because they seemed close. Changkyun thought the blonde’s reactions were a little exaggerated but didn’t say anything. He didn’t voice his thoughts often, he preferred keeping them in his mind. And he had to know him better to be sure; he didn’t want to get to any conclusion before knowing the truth.  
“I’ll go to the bathroom, guys” Jooheon announced and left, heading back to the community centre while lighting up a cigarette. The others stayed in silence until Minhyuk clapped and motioned for the girls to tell their story.  
“We are here because we were carrying illegal guns” Hollie trailed off as if it was something completely normal. Everyone stared at the sisters in shock and they looked at each other, raising their shoulders. “What? We were waiting for our permit but it didn’t arrive in time and we were being robbed” Hollie said while Lucy nodded her head.  
“What about you, tall guy?” Lucy asked Hyungwon, who had been quiet since they arrived to the community centre.  
“I was DJing at a nightclub with some friends and, before leaving the place, my friends found their dealer and bought some cocaine” Hyungwon explained, catching everyone’s attention. Kihyun was already judging him and Changkyun chuckled at that, finding it hilarious. Kihyun was surely a judging person. “We left quickly and walked around Seoul, each of us heading to our respective homes. When we were at it, a police car appeared out of nowhere” Hyungwon was making funny gestures while explaining his incident and Changkyun found it entertaining. “I was falling asleep, so I didn’t notice...” he sighed. “And one of my so called friends left his bag of cocaine in my pocket before they all ran away” he seemed depressed about it and they all got why. “Okay, next” Hyungwon pointed at Kihyun and Changkyun realized he was the only one left after him. He had to lie about it, he couldn’t tell the truth when it was so stupid.  
“I painted a huge Satan on my enemy’s house walls to remind him he shouldn’t mess with me” Kihyun said, moving his hand in a slow manner to paint the bench perfectly. The others thought he would go on but he finished his story there, concentrating on the bench once again. He was pressing his lips together in a pout while he did so, and Changkyun couldn’t help to stare at him. He looked scary but he pouted cutely while he was concentrated.  
“How about you, little boy? What did you do?” Minhyuk placed his hand on Changkyun’s shoulder and they all turned to look at him.  
“Yes, we are all curious to hear your story” Hyungwon said, pointing at Changkyun with his paint filled brush. “You don’t seem to be someone wild. You look like a high school nerd” he added and Minhyuk chuckled, agreeing completely with him. Changkyun’s heart was speeding up. He didn’t know what to do, he needed to lie but nothing came to his mind. He was terrible at lying, his parents taught him not to do that and he took it seriously. ‘I am a high school nerd’ he thought, panicking big time. Would the others turn their backs at him if he told them the truth?  
Changkyun took a few seconds to think before opening his mouth to talk. When he was about to tell his story and face the consequences, he saw black clouds slowly covering the sky. The young man had never seen something similar in his life. He stayed there, staring at it to see what happened. Changkyun loved storms, but that looked like a hurricane. “Come on! Tell us what happened!” Minhyuk insisted but Changkyun didn’t hear him. He widened his eyes when he saw a huge ice ball falling from the sky and he had to blink twice to be sure he wasn’t imagining things.  
“Guys, run!” he yelled when he saw the hail storm - the weirdest he’d ever seen - coming closer to them. The others turned around after Changkyun panicked and they started screaming. One of those strange ice balls fell right beside them and broke one of the benches they were painting. They ran as fast as they could, trying to reach the community centre to be safe. Giant rocks were hitting the floor with strength, breaking near them and splashing ice all over, and Hyungwon nearly got hit by one. He was the one leading the group since he could run extremely fast. But it wasn’t enough. In the end - when they were about to reach the community centre’s main door -, a lightning fell from the sky and hit them all, making them fall backwards. Changkyun closed his eyes as a powerful energy traveled around his body and, the moment he opened them, the electrical storm had already stopped.  
They all looked around, feeling confused and startled about the whole situation. What was happening? That storm had been weird and they were fine despite a lightning hitting them. “What the hell was that?” Lucy asked, slowly getting up with her sister’s help.  
“I have no fucking idea” Hyungwon replied from the floor.  
“Hey! Are you okay?” their probation worker was running in their direction. “I don’t know what happened” the man seemed scared and he helped Hyungwon get up before pushing the glass door, letting them go in first. Jooheon appeared from the hallway, walking slowly as if nothing happened and he got surprised when they told him. Kim Hyunjong let them stay inside for a while, wanting to make sure nothing else would happen. The sky was completely clear but the man was still shocked. Minhyuk was crying on Jooheon’s lap while all the others stared blankly at the glass windows.   
After a few minutes of nothing, their probation worker came out of his office. “You may leave” he said. “I’ll see you on Monday’s afternoon and you’ll finish your work” Hyunjong nodded and went back to his office, not saying anything else. Everyone went to the locker room after that, changing back into their previous clothes. They remained silent until they had to say goodbye, and none of them talked about the incident.  
Changkyun couldn’t stop thinking about the storm. He felt strange and his head was spinning. As he arrived home, his brother slapped his nape and, strangely, the vase they used to put their umbrellas in exploded. “What the f-” his brother was about to curse but he shut up when their mother entered the hall. Their parents grounded them every time they cursed.  
“What happened here?” the woman asked and the two brothers raised their shoulders.  
“The vase exploded, mommy” Changkyun’s older brother said. “I can fix it for you if you want” he added and their mother smiled.  
“Of course, dear. Thank you” she patted her son’s head and then nodded in Changkyun’s direction.  
“Hi, mom” the younger whispered. “It’s nice to see you too” he sighed, walking straight to his bedroom to start solving his Math homework.


	3. Superpowers

“Seriously? Come on, don’t lie to me” Wonwoo laughed after Changkyun told him what happened on Saturday when he started his community service. “I mean, that storm was so weird... but if a lightning hit you, you wouldn’t be here looking perfectly fine, Changkyun-ah” he said, not believing anything. Changkyun was sure his friend wouldn’t take him seriously, but he wanted to tell someone. He had been feeling strange since then and things had been exploding around him mysteriously. Every time his brother had bothered him, something near him burst violently, making him wonder if the storm changed him somehow.  
“I swear! Why would I lie?” the black haired exclaimed, wishing for Wonwoo to believe him. He needed a friend at that moment, he was going crazy and he knew talking to his community service companions wasn’t an option. “I’m terrible at lying” he made Wonwoo remember his lack of skills in lying and he finally considered his words.  
“You are right but... that’s not possible” Wonwoo seemed confused but Changkyun was even more confused than him. He was the one experiencing the strange things that he couldn’t explain.  
“I know it’s not” Changkyun assured. “But I swear a lightning hit me! And things have been exploding around me... only when I’m angry” he said and Wonwoo frowned.  
“Dude, are you on drugs?” his friend asked and Changkyun glared at him.  
“My parents don’t even let me curse and you think I’m high?” the black haired sighed and Wonwoo thought about it for a few seconds. “Look, I know it sounds crazy but I’m scared and I needed to tell someone about it” he whispered once their professor entered the classroom. All students made silence and greeted the man, following the class president’s commands. Once the lecture started, they had to stay quiet. Changkyun wanted to keep on talking though he couldn’t, and Wonwoo fell asleep in the middle of the class. While he slept, Changkyun thought telling him his weird experience was a bad idea and, when their school morning finished, he decided it would be better to just drop it. While having lunch, they talked about Overwatch and how they would play after their school year ended. They were studying so much they barely had free time and they missed their video games nights.  
After an afternoon full of classes, Changkyun’s brain was about to stop working and he couldn’t let that happen. His community service was about to start at five o’clock, and he had to get to the community centre before his probation worker punished him for not arriving in time. Changkyun didn’t know what would happened if they broke any rules, but he was certain it would be nothing good. The student walked as fast as he could, getting closer to his destiny with each step. The air was colder due to the sunset and Changkyun had to put his hands in his pockets, feeling his fingers turning into ice cubes.  
When the community centre came to view, Changkyun growled. Painting benches wasn’t his favorite activity, much less after a tiring day at school. The building looked totally different in the evening. The gray colour that painted its walls was creepier and Changkyun wished he could run away and go back home. The boy had his earphones on - he didn’t forget them that day - and he was listening to some relaxing music, though it didn’t help. He felt his energy fading away as he pushed the glass doors open and headed to the locker room with heavy feet. The place was completely empty that evening. There were no people around and Changkyun was surprised to find the probation worker’s office empty as well. ‘Where is he?’ he thought, staring at the hallway and taking his earphone’s off to listen carefully in case there was someone in the bathroom. “Mr. Hyunjong?” he hesitantly called the elder’s name as his hand holding his earphones shook lightly. “Sir?” he added, gulping nervously as no one answered.  
Changkyun felt strangely scared. He wasn’t a coward and he rarely felt that way, but the situation wasn’t normal. Before he could move, a hand landed on his shoulder and he yelled, nearly having a heart attack. Thankfully, it was just Kihyun, looking as startled as he was. “It’s just me” he said and Changkyun sighed in relieve. “You are always so jumpy” the purple haired trailed off while holding his typical judging stare. “Where is the old man?” he asked and the younger raised his shoulders.  
“I don’t know” Changkyun turned to take another glance at the deserted corridor. “I called him but he didn’t answer” he told Kihyun, who seemed unamused. The latter raised a brow and walked past Changkyun, entering the locker room to go change. The black haired followed him closely, not wanting to stay there alone. They both opened their lockers to leave their belongings there and changed into their orange jumpsuits quickly.  
“Hey” Kihyun called while he arranged his hair in front of the mirror. Changkyun hummed to let him know he was listening, but he was also paying attention to their surroundings, following his instinct. “Have you been feeling strange these days?” his question made Changkyun forget about their probation worker. Kihyun had experienced strange things too, he was sure of it now.  
“Yeah, I...” he paused not knowing how to say it without making it sound lame. “Things have been exploding around me... only when I’m mad and- and I think the storm did something to me” he explained and Kihyun frowned.  
“That’s not what happened to me but I guess your story is stranger” the purple haired went closer to Changkyun, sitting on the bench which was in front of him. “When I went to work today, my enemy - the one I told you about on Saturday - treated me nicely and did ridiculous things in front of our boss” Kihyun said and it was Changkyun’s turn to frown. “He did everything I was thinking, like, literally” he assured in a whisper, gesturing with his hands while he spoke. “Do you think the storm gave us special abilities? Like superpowers or something?” Kihyun made Changkyun chuckle with those words and earned a scary glare in response.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh... it’s just too strange” the younger reacted quickly not to get punched.  
“Hi” Hyungwon suddenly appeared and waved his hand. Kihyun and Changkyun greeted him and silence filled the room. While the tall one changed, the sisters arrived, followed by Hoseok. They all did the same thing and, once they were ready, Minhyuk and Jooheon appeared.  
“Please tell me you’ve been feeling weird too” Minhyuk automatically said, grabbing Hyungwon’s shoulders and shaking him. “I fucking glow in the dark!” he yelled, making everyone laugh. “I swear! Let’s turn off the lights” he went to the door and pressed the switch, making everything go dark. Changkyun couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw it. Minhyuk was truly glowing, and it wasn’t just a dim light, it was very powerful.  
“Holly shit!” Hyungwon covered his mouth and pointed at the glowing form with his other hand. Hoseok’s and Kihyun’s jaws were dropping to the floor and they were as surprised as Changkyun and Hyungwon. Unlike them, the sisters looked unimpressed and Hollie walked to the door to turn the lights back on.  
“That’s nothing, I can hear what you are all thinking” Hollie smiled arrogantly and Lucy pouted.  
“I want a power too!” she whined, but the others didn’t react, too surprised to process everything.  
“I think I can control people?” Kihyun wasn’t sure about his own ability and Changkyun was even more lost. He didn’t think a possible power could be making things explode. He had never heard of something similar and everything seemed too weird to be true. Maybe he was just dreaming, that wasn’t happening at all.  
“What the actual fuck?” Hyungwon said. “Am I high? I think I took something strong before coming here” he massaged his temple, trying to understand what was happening. While they talked - Hollie was proving everyone she could actually read their minds and the others were shocked -, they heard a door opening and closing loudly. The 8 of them stopped on their tracks and Minhyuk slowly walked to the locker room’s entrance to check. The blonde peeked through the door frame and gasped.  
“Our probation worker!” Minhyuk smiled and everyone went out of the room to see. Hyunjong was walking in their direction, but Changkyun saw him grabbing his head and whining as if he was in pain. The black haired unconsciously grabbed Kihyun’s wrist and squeezed it, not liking the situation. Kihyun didn’t seem to notice though, because he did nothing to stop Changkyun. Hyunjong looked terrible and his eyes were completely white as if he was some kind of zombie.  
“Guys, I don’t like this” Hoseok said, backing away little by little until he started running. “Run!” he yelled but the others reacted a bit later, when their probation worker moved faster, chasing after them with that scary look on his face. They were all screaming, asking for help in case someone from the outside could hear them, but there was no one around. Hyungwon arrived first to the glass doors and tried to push them open but it didn’t work. They were locked and the person who had the key was some crazy monster at that moment. Their options were to go to the back door or break the glass with something heavy, and Hyungwon chose the first one for all of them when he ran towards the other hallway.  
Changkyun was terrible at running. He didn’t have the proper technique to gain speed and he was falling far behind. Lucy and Hollie weren’t the best at it either but they were reaching the others. The black haired turned to look at their probation worker and realized he was about to get him. “Guys! Wait for me!” he yelled in desperation but no one heard him. They were too focused on their objective and doing their best not to get murdered by some psycho. Changkyun’s legs were getting weaker as minutes passed. Why did the community centre have to be so big? They were halfway through and they had long to go.  
Before Changkyun could move further into the never-ending corridor, Hyunjong caught his leg, making him fall to the ground. His screams were so loud the others finally realized what was happening and got back to help him. Their probation worker went mad and was trying to bite Changkyun’s face. The latter defended himself as best as he could, though it wasn’t enough. He was not strong, and the man above him seemed to have a lot more strength than before. Kihyun grabbed a broomstick he found in the janitor’s room - which was right beside them, luckily - and started hitting the man harshly on his back. Changkyun hoped Hyunjong would pass out or something because his arms were almost dead. Kihyun hit him harder each time but it wasn’t working and the others didn’t know what to do.  
Changkyun used his legs to push the probation worker too and, the moment he thought he would die, every light and glass around the corridor exploded. Minhyuk’s glowing body made Hyunjong get distracted for a few seconds and he managed to sneak out. “Was that you?” Kihyun asked and grabbed his wrist to drag him where the others were. There was light coming from the end of the corridor but everything was dark around them after Changkyun made every light bulb burst - except for Minhyuk -.  
“I d-don’t k-know” Changkyun breathed heavily, trying to regain some energy to keep on running. But they didn’t get to run because they were too close to the man and they wouldn’t make it. “C-can’t y-you c-control people?” Changkyun asked, touching his chest and feeling his heart beating like crazy.  
“I’ll try” Kihyun stepped in front of their probation worker and tried to use his power with no success. “Shit” he cursed, backing away slowly as Hyunjong approached him. “I don’t know how this works!” he panicked and walked backwards until joining the group. They were all petrified there and they needed to think of some plan quickly. When their probation worker grabbed Minhyuk’s arm, Hyungwon touched his face to push him away and he suddenly fell to the floor, deeply asleep. The 8 of them glanced at each other, not getting what just happened. Even Hyungwon was extremely confused, and he was the one who did it.  
“I guess we found your power” Jooheon said, hiding behind Minhyuk until they made sure Hyunjong was actually asleep.  
“We should call the police” Hollie suggested, taking her cellphone to dial the number.  
After that, they waited. Kihyun took the keys from Hyunjong’s pocket and went to open the door once the police arrived. Changkyun followed him everywhere, he wasn’t sure why. He felt thankful after Kihyun helped him and he wanted to say something but he was shy and stupid, and Kihyun was kind of scary. So, in the end, he just followed him in silence and cooperated when the police started questioning them. They all explained what happened and the authorities took the unconscious man. “You should all leave, go change and we’ll call someone to close the community centre” one of the officers told them. “You are all safe now” he added and stayed by the door as they went to the locker room to change back into their casual clothes.  
“How crazy was that?” Hoseok asked, still in shock. “He could have killed us all!” he put on his tight jeans while talking and closed the button quickly because the sisters - and Minhyuk - were stealing sneaky glances at his hot body.  
“Aren’t we dreaming? I mean, that was not normal... none of this is!” Hyungwon was even more puzzled than Hoseok because he discovered his power minutes ago.  
“We should be happy, guys!” Minhyuk cheerfully said. “We have amazing powers!” he seemed excited and Changkyun chuckled at that. Kihyun and the sisters threw judging stares at him like always and Jooheon pouted.  
“I don’t have any power” he whined and Hoseok did the same thing.  
“We three” Lucy trailed off, pointing at the two boys and herself with her hand.  
“You might not have powers because you weren’t outside when the storm came” Changkyun talked for the first time in a while and felt observed when all eyes fell on him. He directed his words to Jooheon only, but they were all listening. “But you two must be able to do something...” he gave his opinion. “I’m just trying to reason?” he said, feeling awkward when no one replied anything.  
“You’re smart, boy” Hyungwon patted Changkyun’s head. “You should try and do things” the tall one told Lucy and Hoseok. “Maybe you can move things with your mind or something cool like that” he enthusiastically said, finally relaxing a bit and accepting his powers. “Or maybe you can turn back time!” he kept on thinking about different options but the other two seemed unamused.  
“Yeah, whatever you say” Lucy sighed, grabbing her sister’s arm to drag her to the door. “See you tomorrow” she greeted the others and Hollie waved her hand before they both disappeared behind the wall.  
“This is not fair, I want a power” Jooheon pretended to cry and Minhyuk sat on his lap to caress his hair and kiss his cheeks.  
“Maybe this kid is wrong, he doesn’t know everything” the blonde whispered and Changkyun rolled his eyes. He was telling them what he thought about the situation but that didn’t mean it was the absolute truth. He didn’t like other people calling him kid and it wasn’t his fault he was the youngest there. When he was ready, he quickly left, not wishing to hear more of Minhyuk’s words. Surprisingly, Kihyun went after him, looking equally done with Minhyuk.  
The two of them walked to the glass doors and pushed them open, greeting the cop who was waiting for them to be ready. The garden was illuminated with lanterns and they went through the cement path until they reached the main street. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow” Kihyun said, bowing slightly, and Changkyun took courage to stop him.  
“Wait” he touched Kihyun’s shoulder. “Thank you for helping me” he shyly spoke, avoiding eye contact.  
“No problem” Kihyun replied, flashing him a toothless smile. “You would have done the same for me” he said and turned around, walking in the opposite way. Changkyun stared at him until he was no longer visible, and the other 4 joined him a few minutes later.  
“What are you still doing here?” Hoseok asked, confused.  
“Nothing” Changkyun answered, finally heading home.

After facing hell with their probation worker, Kihyun thought maybe those powers were more a curse than a blessing. Being able to control people so easily would have been his dream come true if he had actually known how it worked. That morning, while he was working, taking different boxes from one of the trucks to the storage room of the supermarket, he tried to use his special ability with no success. What was the point in having it if he couldn't practice and get better at it? Kihyun sighed a lot that day, even when his last class of the afternoon was over and he had to attend his community service only. 'Just a few more hours' he thought, taking out some chewing gum from his backpack.  
As he chew, he stared at the city, listening to his favorite - incredibly noisy - songs. He had a thought in his mind, something that never left, something annoying and repetitive to Kihyun. When would he finish his studies to finally drop that awful part-time job? He had a hard time those years and he wanted everything to be over. His parents were long gone and he couldn't ask his best friend Jihoon for money, that would be inappropriate. But he seriously needed some, and his job gave him enough to survive.  
The sun was going down faster and faster as winter was close, making it even harder to go to that creepy huge gray building. It was as if the entire world was against them, and Kihyun was starting to believe in curses.  
The smell of trees around the community centre's garden was the only reason why he kind of liked painting benches, and he hoped they would do that. They would be facing a new probation worker and it could be worse... but it could also be good. Kihyun had that tiny bit of faith. As he pushed the glass doors open, he found everything messy and some lights were still off after Changkyun made most of them burst. Their probation worker's office was closed but, as Kihyun walked through the hallway, he managed to catch a figure working at the desk. It looked small and he started wondering if the man was young. He didn't want someone his age or younger. If he was 20, Kihyun would run away and face the consequences later.  
The purple haired shook his head when he realized he had been petrified there for at least 5 minutes, and kept going. The locker room was getting closer and he started wondering if he would find Changkyun there. The boy was always there first and Kihyun was curious to know the reason of his community service. What did he do? He looked so nice and well mannered. Kihyun was sure he had a lot of money so he couldn't understand why.  
To his surprise, the locker room was empty. Kihyun entered the place slowly, taking his earphones off to listen carefully in case there was something wrong. Maybe Changkyun was being attacked or he was unconscious on the floor while a monster waited for the others to appear. Before he could get to a conclusion, someone bumped onto his back, startling him. As expected, there Changkyun was, wearing his school uniform and making Kihyun feel old. Now that he saw his uniform, he could confirm he had money. Kihyun knew his school, and it was one of the most expensive ones in Seoul. "Hyung! I'm sorry" Changkyun apologized, bowing slightly. "I thought I was late" he gasped for air and Kihyun chuckled, patting his head. The boy was like a puppy. The elder felt the need to protect him, somehow, and that was not Kihyun's style.  
"You need to stop worrying so much" Kihyun said and started leaving his stuff in his locker. That orange overall gave him nausea and he wished he could burn it and wear normal clothes during his six months of community service. "Expensive school, huh?" Kihyun blurted out, making Changkyun jump in surprise.  
"Um... yeah" the younger seemed uncomfortable because of it. "I'll change quickly" he announced and took his clothes off as fast as he could - leaving the white t-shirt he wore under his shirt and his boxer shorts on - to then put on that awful jumpsuit which made them look like prisoners.  
"Why are you here? You didn't get to say" Kihyun asked, enjoying Changkyun's awkwardness. His shoulders visibly tensed and he almost dropped is backpack while trying to organize everything.  
"I... I" he paused, having a hard time. Kihyun couldn't imagine anything, he was a rich, high school nerd with excellent marks. "Please promise me you won't say anything to anyone" he looked like a lost puppy while speaking, and Kihyun just nodded. "I helped two robbers because I thought they were some neighbors moving out" he blushed up to his ears and the locker next to him exploded, scaring them both. "Jeez! I hate this power" Changkyun whined. "I cannot control it" he whined and Kihyun got him perfectly. Maybe those powers weren't controllable at all. But the purple haired didn't want to let the younger change the subject. Did he seriously help some robbers? What a dumb kid; he was too good to be alive in such a cruel world.  
"You helped some robbers?" Kihyun shook his head. "What a moron" he added, not able to keep his thoughts in his mind.  
"I know" Changkyun stared at his fingers, playing with them not to feel so embarrassed. "I was so stupid... and my parents hate me since then" he pouted and Kihyun felt bad for him. He missed his parents so much and he remembered how terrible it was to disappoint them.  
"I'm sorry" Kihyun replied. "I hope they get back to normal soon" he flashed the black haired a toothless smile before Hollie and Lucy entered the room, interrupting their chat.  
"Hi, there" Hollie said, dropping her sister on the bench next to Changkyun. The younger of the two seemed to be dead tired and the boys stared at her in confusion.  
"Is she alright?" Changkyun asked and Hollie nodded.  
"She's tired 24/7, don't worry too much" she answered and left her things in her locker. She then took off her shoes and her coat, and put the orange jumpsuit on top of her remaining clothes. The sisters usually did that, since they were the only women there. Lucy wasn’t moving and Changkyun was staring at her with a worried expression. Kihyun tried his best not to chuckle. It was a funny sight, but he didn’t feel like explaining why he was laughing. He managed to keep his straight face for a few seconds, but he couldn’t anymore when Changkyun grabbed one of his wireless headphones to poke on Lucy’s cheek. Kihyun laughed out loud, making the black haired do the same thing. Hollie chuckled as well, and Lucy opened her eyes, whining like a baby. “I told you” the elder of the two sisters said as Lucy kept on complaining, finally getting up to change.  
The others didn’t take long to arrive and Kihyun scrunched his nose when Minhyuk and Jooheon entered the room kissing. The purple haired didn’t mind them being together; he himself was gay too, but he hated people kissing in front of others. Hoseok and the sisters weren’t pleased either, though Hyungwon and Changkyun didn’t seem to mind. The moment Kihyun thought the making out session couldn’t get worse, Minhyuk pinned Jooheon against the wall to kiss him harder. “Hey, you two!” Hollie yelled, making them stop. “If you wanna fuck, you have the bathroom there” she pointed at her right and sighed, muttering something under her breath that sounded a lot like an insult.  
“Sorry” Minhyuk giggled, ruffling Jooheon’s short locks. Kihyun didn’t like the blonde. He was always calling everyone’s attention and exaggerating things to make them more interesting. The purple haired used to run away from those kind of people. It was a shame he couldn’t do it at that moment because of his community service.  
“Hey, do you think our probation worker will make us do many things?” Hoseok said, trying to distract everyone and help them forget about the sloppy kiss they had to witness seconds ago.  
“I don’t know, I accidentally read his mind while I was walking through the corridor and I think he was watching porn” Hollie scrunched her nose. “I seriously want to stop hearing everything people think because it’s starting to creep me out” she shivered violently and Lucy chuckled. Kihyun felt so exposed around Hollie, and he tried his best not to think about things he didn’t want her to know. He had the strategy of singing some random song in his mind every time they were in the locker room. One of his loud rock songs.  
“I guess none of us know how to control their powers” Changkyun said while sitting cross-legged on one of the benches.  
“I do!” Hyungwon smiled. “I love my power” he trailed off, enjoying the way everyone rolled their eyes at him. Hyungwon liked teasing people and it was the perfect moment to do so. All the others had problems with their powers, but he didn’t. Kihyun was jealous, though he wouldn’t have been if he could control his own ability. Controlling others was far better than making them sleep, he was sure of that.  
“How lucky” Changkyun pouted unknowingly and Kihyun stared at him. That boy pouted all the time, and he was being too good once again. Why couldn’t he judge Hyungwon like everyone? The tall one was showing his power off to make them feel jealous. But that black haired boy took everything surprisingly well.  
“Hello” a deep voice came from the entrance of the locker room and made them turn to look at the man resting his shoulder on the door frame. It was their new probation worker and it was nothing like they imagined. He was skinny and had tiny shoulders, but his head was huge in comparison. His hair was messy and his almond-shaped eyes were so narrow his locks almost made them disappear. He was wearing black clothes which were too fashionable to be working in a community centre and he had an expensive cellphone in his hand. “I see you are all ready” the man said. “I’m Kim Jongwoon and I’ll be the one in charge from now on” he ‘smiled’ - it was almost invisible to their eyes but Kihyun caught a glimpse of it -. “I don’t care about your names so...” he paused, raising a brow at them. “Are you planning on getting up or not?” he asked, and they all stared at him for a few seconds until they decided to comply. “Good! Let’s start” Jongwoon joined his palms together and started walking through the corridor. The others followed him, hoping the man wouldn’t go crazy because they weren’t willing to do many things.  
Kim Jongwoon wasn’t stopping and they threw confused glances at each other, wondering if he had a wish to murder them like their previous probation worker. Maybe the man was dragging them to the enormous garden on purpose, maybe he had one of those unpredictable ‘powers’ too. Kihyun realized that, if they got affected by that weird storm, a lot of people must have gotten affected as well. The elder’s behavior seemed strange, but after walking for some minutes around the place, he stopped by the big lake it had. Kihyun saw the amount of garbage at the shore and he imagined what they were about to do. “Here we are” Jongwoon said, not taking long to point at a mount of black trash-bags, lying on the grass together with 8 grabbers. “Take those and get to work” the probation worker smiled, enjoying their suffering. “I want everything gone by the time you leave. We’ll have an outdoor even tomorrow and two more inside the centre, so make sure the lake looks amazing” he turned around after that, leaving them alone in the middle of the garden with those artificial lights illuminating the place.  
“Great” Minhyuk sighed. “I liked painting benches” he growled, walking to the pile of bags and grabbing one, together with a garbage grabber. The others did the same thing and started picking all kinds of things up. There were from plastic bottles to banana peels and also bigger things like boxes - some of them containing old household appliances -. Kihyun liked cleaning his apartment up, but that was totally different. The water smelled terrible and it was black. The purple haired wondered whether it was truly black or the dim light made it look like that. He couldn’t figure it out.  
Kihyun walked around the lake, pressing his lips together out of concentration. He was so immersed in his task that he failed to notice Changkyun following him around like a lost puppy. The boy was picking things up near him, helping him get rid of the tiny wrappings and other light objects. Changkyun wasn’t strong, so he limited himself to do the amount of work his body let him. The black haired was quiet like a cat. He could enter a room unnoticed pretty easily and, combined with Kihyun’s bad hearing, his ability was a total success. That was the reason the purple haired bumped into him when he turned around to pick up something shiny he saw near the water. Changkyun fell to the floor as he did so and Hyungwon laughed at him. “Sorry, hyung!” the younger apologized and got up quickly, cleaning the grass sticking to his jumpsuit.  
“It’s okay, I didn’t see you there” Kihyun said, punching Hyungwon hard on his stomach and making him whine in pain. He didn’t know why he did that, he just felt like protecting Changkyun once again and his body moved without him noticing. The black haired smiled at him, but he just turned around. Making friends during his community service wasn’t what he had planned and he didn’t want to change his mind because of a boy that seemed too naive to live in that world.  
As he turned around, trying to avoid any possible eye contact, he found Hoseok staring at something while sitting by the lake’s shore. The man looked extremely concentrated and his face was turning red, though he didn’t seem to be helping them at all. Before anyone could tell him to get up and do something - the sisters had spotted him too - he yelled in frustration and cut some of the green grass to throw it to the air. “I cannot move things with my mind!” he growled, kicking the floor like a child. “I’ll try something else...” he stood up and looked around, trying to figure out what to do next. “I know!” he said, heading to a huge rock that was near him. He climbed the rock and threw himself to the ground, trying to fly. That didn’t go well, he hit the ground with his muscled arm and screamed, getting even more frustrated. The others were staring at the scene, trying not to laugh because the whole situation was hilarious. Hyungwon’s little giggles were already coming out and Minhyuk was frowning, whispering things in Jooheon’s ear as they both judged his behavior. Hoseok ran around, still angry, and grabbed the rock, lifting it up from the floor with no inconvenience.  
“Damn, the gym is working wonders on him” said Lucy, admiring Hoseok’s muscled body as he threw the rock far away from there. “He must lift a lot of weight with those arms” she licked her lips and Hollie nodded with her jaw dropping. They were all impressed, even Minhyuk, who was criticizing him seconds ago. “Hey, Hoseok-oppa!” Lucy called the brunette man, earning his attention and achieving to make him forget about his stupid frustration. “How much do you lift?” she asked and Hoseok thought for a while.  
“I’m not sure, but I’m making progress” he smiled and showed his muscles off.  
“Nice” Minhyuk whispered and Jooheon slapped his nape.  
“Stop staring at him!” he seemed angry though the blonde wasn’t worried. He just rolled his eyes and petted his hair lovingly.  
“Oh, come on, Heony” Minhyuk grinned. “You know we are nothing more than fuck buddies, don’t be jealous” he said, surprising Kihyun. Weren’t they together? They looked like a couple all the time. Changkyun seemed confused too and he raised his shoulders in Kihyun’s direction.  
“So you are not a couple” Changkyun stated and Jooheon shook his head.  
“I’m not gay, we just agreed to have sex” he explained and Kihyun frowned.  
“Are you bisexual, then?” the purple haired asked though Jooheon shook his head once again.  
“He thinks he’s straight” Minhyuk whispered and Jooheon hit his arm. “What?”  
“Nothing, just keep on making fun of me in front of them, I’ll be in the locker room smoking” Jooheon stormed back to the community centre and the blonde followed him closely behind, trying to calm him down.  
“They are weird” said Hyungwon, slowly picking a plastic bottle up from the water and putting it inside the garbage bag he was holding. They all agreed with the tall one and kept on working. There was much to do and not much time to achieve it.  
The whole afternoon and evening, they cleaned the lake, leaving it completely free of trash. Hoseok spent almost the entire time trying different things to discover his power, but ended up with nothing. He couldn’t move objects with his mind, he couldn’t fly, he definitely couldn’t make things disappear and he couldn’t turn back time. As they walked back to the gray building through the cement path he was whining and complaining until he suddenly stopped on his tracks, widening his eyes as he looked at the others. “I know! I must be immortal!” Hoseok announced. “Can you lend me your gun?” he asked Hollie and the girl frowned.  
“Are you seriously killing yourself to see if you are immortal, Hoseok-oppa?” she shook her head in disbelief.  
“But I’m not dying! I will survive, silly” Hoseok was convinced he was immortal and Kihyun couldn’t believe the elder was saying something that stupid for real.  
“And what if you are not immortal, oppa? You will stay dead” Hollie said and Hoseok seemed to finally understand what she meant.  
“Oh... you are right” the muscled one became sad and started walking slower. The others didn’t say a word as they headed to the locker room and they changed into their casual clothes once they were there. Changkyun didn’t wear his uniform’s jacket because he didn’t want anyone to find out he went to an expensive school and Kihyun stared at him, knowing he would freeze on his way home.  
As they sat on the benches and talked, Minhyuk and Jooheon came in. Their messy hair, crooked overalls and great mood told everything, so they didn’t need to explain where they were. They didn’t give them much importance and kept on talking about their everyday lives. Lucy and Hollie were telling them one of their stories, they apparently lived together and studied in the same university. They seemed so close, and Kihyun thought it would be cool to have a brother. Until Hollie started teasing Lucy about her habits and her inability to stay awake during the day. “I’m not! Shut up” Lucy said, though Hollie went on and made her sister pout. “Okay, enough” Lucy interrupted the elder. “Sleep” she said, touching her sister’s shoulder as if she was making Homer Simpson’s sleeper hold. Surprisingly, Hollie fell asleep and they all got surprised.  
“You know how to do the famous sleeper hold?!” Hoseok yelled, standing up from the bench he was sitting on.  
“I think I’ve found my power!” Lucy smiled, taking a glance at her own hand; the hand she touched her sister’s shoulder with.  
“Hey~” Hyungwon growled. “That’s not fair!” he sighed. “We have the same power!” he was so disappointed.  
“Mine is better than yours” Lucy said. “Because I feel awake now” she smiled arrogantly though Hyungwon didn’t look threatened by her at all.  
“I feel more awake every time I put someone to sleep too” Hyungwon crossed his arms over his chest and started fighting with Lucy.  
“At least you’ve found your power!” Hoseok interrupted their chat. “I don’t know what mine is!” the muscled one said as he lifted one of the benches with no effort at all, to then throw it back to the floor in annoyance. They were all impressed by that, and Lucy asked him how often he went to the gym. But Kihyun saw Changkyun getting up and enthusiastically raising his hand to talk. No one was paying attention to him so the purple haired shut everyone up and made them listen.  
“Thanks” Changkyun shyly spoke. “Hoseok-hyung, I know what your power is!” the youngest made tiny jumps, still happy about his discovering. “You are unbelievably strong!” he said and the others gasped.  
“You are right!” Minhyuk shook Changkyun from his shoulders, startling him a little. “And we were all asking him about his workout routine” he sighed.  
“Is having a lot of strength something awesome?” Hoseok asked and Lucy nodded.  
“It’s great!” she grinned. “Now you can help me take my sister home” she made everyone laugh with those words. “Why do you laugh? I’m serious” she bluntly said.  
“I’ll help you” Hoseok agreed, smiling brightly.  
“I guess we all have our horrible powers now” Kihyun told the others while putting his earphones on, ready to leave that awful place.  
“Not me” Jooheon pouted but the purple haired ignored him, going past him and greeting everyone in the process.


	4. Charity Events

“Come here, young criminals!” Jongwoon yelled from the huge hall of the community centre. They were all already wearing their orange jumpsuits and waiting in the locker room for their probation worker to tell them what to do. As they heard the raspy voice coming from the hallways, they stood up, heading to the main area with heavy feet. The 8 of them had tiring days before getting to the community centre, and they couldn’t hide how much they were craving for their beds. Changkyun liked observing people. It was fun and interesting for him to read their expressions and somehow guess their background. And his community service group was full of interesting individuals - in his opinion -. Kihyun seemed tough on the outside but he was a very nice person, and he had proved it to Changkyun. He defended him every time the others bothered him and he didn’t mention the reason why the younger ended up there, not even once. Hyungwon and Lucy were pretty similar. They didn’t realize it but Changkyun did. They were sleepy all the time, they were both lazy and they were both funny. It was interesting to watch them argue about who was the best in something. Hoseok was a little dumb at times - most of the times - but he was kind-hearted and his gym obsession was cute. Hollie was cold as ice and Changkyun had a hard time figuring her out because she only told them stories about Lucy. But she seemed nice, even if she didn’t give them enough space to know her well. Minhyuk was talkative and liked attention, but Changkyun found him amusing at times; mostly when he tried to seduce every single man he found attractive. Jooheon was the only one Changkyun didn’t get because he was glued to Minhyuk and he didn’t talk much. The black haired saw him getting jealous often, though Minhyuk didn’t seem to care. He was too confident and had Jooheon under his spell. Changkyun didn’t like judging though. He would make sure to get to know Jooheon better somehow.

That was all he could tell about his group until then, and he was happy to be with them. Changkyun felt he belonged somewhere. It was funny considering he never found himself comfortable in social circles, not even in his own house, and he was scared before starting his community service. He was glad everything turned out differently, in a very good way. “Today, we are having a charity event for elderly people and an art event” Jongwoon interrupted Changkyun’s thoughts once he talked, and he finally noticed how different the place looked. It had a stage and some chairs covering the entrance hall and Changkyun assumed those were for the first event their probation worker mentioned. The black haired school student was spacing out often lately, and it wasn’t good when his exams were getting nearer and nearer. The weather was growing warmer as days passed and it made him get stressed out because that meant his senior year was about to finish. “So we’ll split in groups” Jongwoon kept on going, making Changkyun pay attention. The 8 of them had their arms crossed over their chests, and they weren’t excited about their following tasks. “You, you and you” he pointed at Jooheon, Minhyuk and Hyungwon - since he still didn’t know their names -. “Will help on the elderly people event. They will get here in 10 minutes and I want you to entertain them and help the organizer, Son Hyunwoo, with whatever he needs. Understood?” he said and the three of them nodded. “You, you and you” he pointed at Hollie, Lucy and Hoseok. “Will help in the art event” Jongwoon commanded. “Make sure I don’t see paint on the floor and-” he paused, staring at Hoseok from head to toes. “-they need a model because the one they had hired canceled in the last minute, so you will be perfect for that” he made Hoseok feel nervous. “Oh, don’t worry, you won’t have to be naked” Jongwoon clarified and the boy relaxed a little.

“What about us?” Kihyun asked and Changkyun looked at their probation worker, curious as well. There were only two events and the elder didn’t give them any tasks. What would they do if they didn’t get to help there? Stay locked up in the locker room? Changkyun wouldn’t complain if that was the case, he could study some more.

“Don’t be impatient” Jongwoon replied. “You will clean the garden” he added, making Kihyun growl. “We had an event for children this morning and they left a mess outside” he smiled playfully and the two boys sighed. Finishing his speech, he motioned for them to leave the hall and get to work. Jooheon, Minhyuk and Hyungwon went to greet Son Hyunwoo - since he arrived just in time - and the blonde instantly liked the organizer. The man was tall and looked well built, and Jooheon didn’t look happy about it. Changkyun knew he would have a tough afternoon.

Lucy intertwined her fingers with Hoseok’s and Hollie’s to drag them both to the other part of the community centre where the art even would take place, and Kihyun flashed Changkyun an annoyed glance. “This is not fair” he whispered as they both walked to the storage room to look for some garbage bags and grabbers. “Here you go” Kihyun handed Changkyun his ‘equipment’ and they both went to the garden. The sunlight wasn’t strong anymore at that hour, and it was hard to see when those lanterns weren’t illuminating them well. When they finally arrived to the place near the lake, they found some tables with benches and the whole ground was covered in exploded balloons, chocolate wrappings, and plastic plates and glasses. It was a nightmare and Kihyun seemed so annoyed Changkyun was sure their afternoon wouldn’t be fun.

They started working in silence and Changkyun took a few glances at Kihyun. He pouted when he was deeply concentrated and looked extremely cute. His toughness flew out the window every time he made that expression and the black haired thought it represented him better. The garbage was insane; the whole grass around the tables looked like an artwork. The kids must have had fun and Changkyun was happy about it - even if they had to clean up their mess -.

After minutes, they were making a lot of progress. The grass was slowly getting back to normal and Changkyun thought they made a good team. At some point, they stepped closer to each other and accidentally tried to pick up the same plastic glass. They both chuckled at that and Kihyun patted his back. “We are the talkative ones of the group” he joked and Changkyun laughed.

“Yeah” he scratched his nape. “I’m sorry, hyung, I hope I’m not boring you” he said, because he always felt that way. He was quiet and he usually thought people got bored around him. His classmates teased him a lot about that, and, even if he had Wonwoo, he felt insecure.

“You are not, I like silence” Kihyun answered, walking closer to the tables to keep on cleaning up. “By the way, how is school going?” he asked, surprising Changkyun.

“It’s going fine, I guess... my exams are near and I’m studying a lot” the younger told his companion, going closer to him so it was easier to talk. He wanted to know more about Kihyun as well and he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to talk. “Are you studying something?” the black haired curiously said.

“How do you manage? I couldn’t do anything else when I was still a high school student” Kihyun seemed impressed, but the younger just raised his shoulders in response, not knowing what to say. “And, yeah, I’m studying to be an architect” the elder told Changkyun, earning a smile from him.

“Architecture” the black haired whispered, more to himself than to Kihyun. “That’s cool” he raised his voice to say that. “I don’t know why, but I imagined you studying something else, like engineering” Changkyun told the purple haired. “You look serious” he said and Kihyun flashed him a surprised glance.

“Do I?” the elder asked. “People always tell me I look scary” he added and made the black haired laugh. “And I like it because they don’t mess with me” Kihyun stated and Changkyun chuckled. “You look extremely soft, you know?” he avoided the younger’s eyes as he spoke. “I think you should be careful not to get hurt” he advised, walking slowly around the clean space to make sure no wrapping was forgotten. He seemed awkward while saying something like that and they stayed in silence for a few seconds because the black haired didn’t know what to reply. “I mean, I’ve only spent a few days with you and I’ve already helped you three times” Kihyun added, joking a little. He wanted to break the silence and make sure he hadn’t said anything harsh. But Changkyun didn’t mind the purple haired’s words, he was completely aware of his weaknesses and how easily he got tricked sometimes. The bad thing was that he realized it when it was too late. “And I still can’t believe you helped some robbers! Who does that?” Kihyun kept on talking and Changkyun decided to finally answer not to make him feel nervous anymore.

“I know, right? I was damn stupid” Changkyun chuckled and noticed the other’s shoulders relaxing. “Thank you for not telling them, by the way” the younger said as he closed the fourth garbage bad he managed to fill completely. “They would mock me so hard if they found out”

“Don’t thank me, it’s just because I don’t like them” Kihyun joked once more, making Changkyun laugh. The latter felt comfortable with Kihyun. Their conversations were usually short, but the black haired enjoyed his company. It was a weird thing; he usually took long to talk openly to someone, though Kihyun had a good aura around him. “Hey, we should get more bags” Kihyun broke the silence and grabbed as many full bags as possible. “Let’s take these to the community centre and get empty ones” he said and Changkyun agreed, following him through the cement path while dragging the trash bags with him.

Before they could get into the building, they found Hyungwon, smoking weed behind a column. Changkyun widened his eyes, he wasn’t used to seeing people doing those things and he’d never imagined anyone acquainted to him consuming drugs. He went to an expensive school where students barely smoked cigarettes, he hadn’t even smelled pot before. “Oh, hi” Hyungwon greeted, waving his hand and drawing shapes round the air with the white smoke. “Were you having fun?” he asked, giggling as he smoked some more.

“I see _you_ are having fun” Kihyun raised a brow. “Why aren’t you helping elderly people?” the purple haired crossed his arms over his chest, leaving the garbage bags by his side.

“I helped a lot but I was bored and sleepy, so I decided I needed one of these” he smiled and Kihyun growled.

“It’s been only an hour and a half since we started! How come that Hyunwoo guy didn’t tell you anything?” Kihyun didn’t like the situation and he was right. They were doing the worst part and the others were having fun. As an answer, Hyungwon raised his shoulders, letting out a small chuckle. “This is so unfair” the purple haired whispered to himself and took the black bags to keep on walking. Changkyun’s eyes went from Hyungwon to Kihyun a few times before he decided to follow Kihyun without saying a word.

“Hey~” Hyungwon yelled. “Don’t tell balloon-head!” he said and Changkyun couldn’t help to chuckle. Kim Jongwoon had a huge head and the nickname was funny. Once they finally entered the community centre, they found a hall full of elderly people, together with Son Hyunwoo, doing different activities. The man seemed to be working hard for the others to have fun and feel loved, but Minhyuk and Jooheon were nowhere to be seen. Changkyun and Kihyun headed to the storage room though, when they opened it, they had to cover their eyes - the purple haired covered Changkyun’s eyes out of reflex and closed his own -. “Jesus Christ! Are you seriously fucking in the storage room?!” Kihyun quickly closed the metal door ordering the younger not to open his lids. Minhyuk was already laughing, but Jooheon told him it wasn’t funny and kept on repeating ‘I told you it wasn’t safe in here, hyung’. “Can you give us some garbage bags?” Kihyun asked in an annoyed tone, and one of the two boys lifted the sliding door slightly to throw them the full package of black bags. “Thank you” Kihyun picked the object up and headed back to the hall, leaving the trash they managed to pick up. Changkyun followed him, almost tripping on his own feet. “So inappropriate” the purple haired muttered under his breath. “Don’t they know we have an underage boy here?” he was actually talking to himself, but Changkyun heard him and giggled.

“It’s okay, hyung, I’m not that innocent and I didn’t see anything” he said and Kihyun turned to look at him, walking slower to let him catch up.

“You mean you’ve already...?” the purple haired made him widen his eyes and desperately wave his hands in front of his face to deny it.

“No! I didn’t mean that!” Changkyun panicked. “I just meant I’m not that young and I know everything about- never mind!” he yelled and started walking faster in shame. His face was like a tomato and the colour reached his ears. Kihyun laughed, following him closely to then circle an arm around his shoulders - the one he was holding the grabber with -.

“It’s okay, I get it” Kihyun said and stopped on his tracks when they passed by Hyungwon, withdrawing the arm from Changkyun’s shoulders. “Get back to work, lazy ass!” he ordered and, surprisingly, the tall one stood up and went back to the community centre. “Wow, I guess my ability worked” the purple haired smiled proudly.

“I wish I had such a good power” Changkyun whined. “I had to buy three pillows this week because they explode while I’m sleeping” he was having a lot of nightmares and sleeping problems since he helped those robbers, and his ability didn’t help at all. “And my mother told me she won’t buy me another one” he sighed. “I hope the new one doesn’t explode tonight”

“That sucks” Kihyun said. “I hope you can learn to control it soon” he flashed Changkyun a toothless smile and they kept on working when they reached the lake. When the day ended, Changkyun was happy. He talked a lot with Kihyun and he got to know him a bit better. It was definitely a good afternoon after a terrible school day.

Changkyun woke up that Saturday morning and went straight to the bathroom. He needed to shower before his community service and he wanted to have a nice breakfast all by himself. It was the first day of the week his pillow hadn’t exploded and he knew what the cause was: having to attend school. Changkyun got stressed out every morning because someone found out he was doing community service, and his classmates started mocking him for that. They didn’t know what he did to be there, but they bothered him anyway. It was new bullying material, perfect for them. So he rather stay home with his annoying brother and his angry parents than go to school.

Changkyun cleaned himself in no more than 5 minutes and dressed up in his blue jeans and a long-sleeved black t-shirt, to then head to the kitchen. His apartment was quiet, his parents and brother weren’t around yet, they were still sleeping. It was great to have some time alone during the day. Changkyun enjoyed those moments a lot. He prepared some toasts with coffee and sat down to eat peacefully. The sky was clear that morning and the sun was slowly rising. He wondered if Kim Jongwoon would make them pick trash up again or if he would be creative and make them do something else.

Changkyun stood up after finishing his food and headed to the door, taking his backpack with him. He didn’t have much in it, but he liked keeping his clothes safe while he completed his tasks. The black haired then plugged his earphones and put them in his ears, playing some relaxing music to then leave his home. He was happy he didn’t get to see his family at all and he knew it was very early to be walking to the subway station, but he needed to get away.

The trip to the community centre was quiet and he managed to read a little during the ride. He was tired of studying, so getting back to his fantasy book was something he had been craving for long. It wasn’t until he reached his stop that he had to put his book aside. When he grabbed his cellphone to change the song that was playing, he realized it was 7:30am. _‘Damn, it’s earlier than I thought’_ he sighed, walking a bit slower. He would have to wait a lot before the others arrived, so he decided not to rush. The enormous gray building was not far, he had to go through the cement path and he would be there.

The moment he pushed the glass doors open, he found out they were still closed. _‘I should have known’_ he thought, letting out a small chuckle. How could he miss such an important detail? If Kim Jongwoon wasn’t there, the community centre remained locked. Changkyun decided to just sit down by the building’s entrance, leave his earphones aside, and read some more of his book. He had nothing to do and he had to wait anyway. The breeze was cold at that hour and the black haired regretted not having taken his coat with him. He had a long sleeved t-shirt, but it wasn’t enough. Changkyun didn’t feel the cold much and it was a problem sometimes. He tried not to think about it, getting immersed in the story he was reading. He made sure his mind was only fixated in the book and his concentration made his surroundings slowly disappear. It was as if he was in his own world and everything around him was black. The wind didn’t feel as cold anymore and Changkyun managed to forget about it after a few minutes.

It wasn’t until someone touched his shoulder that he remembered where he was and what he was there for. Changkyun looked up and, surprisingly, Kihyun wasn’t alone, Hyungwon was with him. The black haired stared at the two figures standing in front of him and smiled at them, greeting the two boys with his hand. The taller one automatically sat by Changkyun’s side, resting his head on the younger’s shoulder and closing his eyes. He seemed very tired and the black haired wondered what he did the previous night. His fashionable clothes and styled hair gave him a hint, though he didn’t want to get to any conclusions. “What a nice pillow” Hyungwon yawned and the younger chuckled. “Do you mind if a sleep till our probation worker gets here?” he asked and Changkyun shook his head.

“You can sleep, hyung” the black haired said, slowly putting his book back in his backpack. He didn’t want to read while the other two were there, he would do it at home. “Why are you so tired today?” Changkyun was curious so he didn’t hesitate in asking. Hyungwon growled, not even opening his eyes to answer.

“I went to a nightclub” he shortly replied and the younger understood he was DJing all night. He imagined that was the case, but he wanted to know anyway. After that question, Hyungwon fell asleep. It made so much sense that his power was related to sleep, just like Lucy’s.

“What about you, Kihyun-hyung? What did you do last night?” Changkyun turned to look at the other, flashing him a toothless smile. Kihyun was dressed in a big gray sweater and some jeans and he looked very tiny. The black haired couldn’t believe he had such a strong character when he saw him like that.

“Nothing much, actually” Kihyun answered, rubbing his chin with his fingers as he recalled his night. “I watched a movie with my roommate, Jihoon, and I went to sleep early after drinking hot chocolate” he added. “I sound like an old lady” he chuckled and Changkyun laughed.

“Well, your night was better than mine” the younger assured. “I had to stay in my room studying and my brother interrupted me when I was extremely concentrated” he sighed. “My closet door burst and all my clothes ended up on the floor” he pretended to cry. “I had to pick everything up and only then I could go to sleep” he ended his story there and Kihyun shook his head.

“And I thought _my_ life was cursed” the purple haired said and their conversation ended there. Kim Jongwoon appeared, looking as if he had just woken up, and opened the glass doors to let them in. Hyungwon protested when Changkyun moved from his position and circled an arm around his shoulders to walk. He was too tired to do it on his own so he used the younger as support. Their probation worker turned the lights on with Kihyun’s help, and Changkyun dragged Hyungwon to the locker room, leaving him on a bench. The man wasn’t heavy, he was very skinny and the younger could handle it. Once he lied lifelessly on the lengthy seat, he could sleep again. His gray hair fell backwards due to his position and Changkyun noticed his brownish eyeshadow. _‘He even wears makeup’_ he thought, making a new discovery.

Before he could think of something else, Kihyun entered the room and left his things in his locker. “It sucks that we have to come here on Saturday mornings” the elder spoke while changing into his jumpsuit. “I really felt like staying home today” he whined and Changkyun nodded, even if he didn’t agree with him. Staying home for the black haired meant enduring his brother’s ‘healthy’ bullying and his parents’ angry faces. He wasn’t really craving for that.

“Maybe Mr. Kim won’t make us do much” Changkyun said, even if he didn’t believe his own words. He was right though, when the others finally arrived, Kim Jongwoon sent them to paint those benches they left unfinished the day they started their community service, and Kihyun was happy about it. While they were painting, Minhyuk was telling them a funny story from the previous night and they were all listening to it. Hyungwon was falling asleep as he moved his hand lazily, leaving tiny spaces uncovered. The bad thing was they were using black paint, so it was very evident the bench was not painted properly.

“Hey! You are missing parts!” Hoseok yelled once he realized what Hyungwon was doing. “You have to do it right, like this” he said, showing the tall one how to and breaking the handle of his brush in the process. “Oh shit” he cursed, leaving the broken piece on the floor to keep on painting with the upper part of the brush. Hoseok couldn’t control his power either, and he almost hit his trainer with a metal bar at the gym a few days ago. Changkyun was starting to wonder whether other people around Seoul had special abilities as well. After what happened with their previous probation worker he believed it was true. But it was weird he hadn’t seen anyone at school bragging about their power. “See? It’s much better like this” Hoseok turned to look at Hyungwon and kept on painting when the tall one nodded.

Changkyun could tell Hyungwon was about to fall asleep any second, and Lucy wasn’t any better. According to Hollie, she slept 12 hours the night before, but she was still tired for getting up early. The two of them weren’t paying attention to Minhyuk’s words nor Hoseok’s explanation, but neither was Kihyun. The latter’s concentration was strong, and he kept on pouting while painting a bench on his own. _‘He’s very efficient’_ Changkyun thought, staring at him and trying to imitate him. He wanted to make sure his bench - which he was painting together with Hoseok - looked as perfect as Kihyun’s one did.

The purple haired finished quickly and moved to help Changkyun because Hoseok was too immersed in Hyungwon’s and Lucy’s bench. Though when Kihyun moved his hand, Hyungwon sat on the bench he’d just finished painting and Lucy followed. “Hey! That bench is already painted!” he yelled, pushing the two of them so they got up quickly. “You assholes” he growled, quickly wetting his brush with more paint to repair the damage.

“We’re sorry” Hyungwon apologized, sitting on one of the unpainted benches. Lucy did the same, and they both stopped helping.

“Your butt must be completely black” Minhyuk laughed and made fun of them, but the other two didn’t seem to care at all. They stained that awful orange overall anyway, nothing too important. The community centre wouldn’t give them new ones, though they were allowed to wash them - the black haired doubted Lucy and Hyungwon would wash those, but it was an option -.

“I think you should help Kihyun-hyung fix it” Changkyun proposed and Hyungwon laughed. Lucy, on the other hand, sighed and stood up, helping the purple haired. “Hyungwon-hyung” Changkyun tried again though the tall one didn’t budge.

“Lucy’s already doing it, he doesn’t need any more help” Hyungwon said, throwing his head backwards and closing his eyes not to get blinded by the sun. Changkyun rolled his eyes but went on with his work. The tall one wasn’t listening and he didn’t have enough authority to force him stand up. “Hey, do you want to come to the nightclub tonight? I’ll be DJing again” he asked and Minhyuk automatically said no. “I’m very cool, you’ll miss it” he smiled and the others laughed. “Hey! I’m truly awesome”

“I’m going, I wanna see that” Hollie said, startling them all.

“What?!” Lucy yelled. “Why?!” she protested. “We hate nightclubs” she pouted like a baby.

“I know, but it will be fun to mock Hyungwon later” she smiled evilly.

“Oh! I see what your true intentions are” Minhyuk suddenly interrupted the sisters. “I’m in!” the blonde was pretty eager to go after he realized Hollie’s plan.

“I’ll go too” Jooheon smiled. “We can do some things in the bathroom” he whispered in Minhyuk’s ear and Kihyun ran to cover Changkyun’s ears, startling him.

“Don’t say those things” Kihyun scolded.

“He’s not a baby, you know?” Minhyuk sighed. “Okay, so, are you coming?” he asked and Kihyun shook his head. “Oh, come on” he insisted.

“I’ll go!” Hoseok said, splashing paint all over Jooheon’s jumpsuit in the process and earning a disgusted glance from him. “Sorry” the muscled one giggled, covering his mouth with his free hand.

“I’ll pass...” Changkyun told them, speaking in a low tone of voice. His parents would never let him go after what he did, and the nightclub wasn’t for eighteen year old boys, they wouldn’t let him in. “They won’t let me in, anyway” he moved his brush slowly and softly through the bench’s surface.

“Nonsense! I can let you in without showing your ID” Hyungwon smiled.

“I’m not going” Kihyun said. “You won’t convince me” he added, moving back to Changkyun’s side to help him. The bench Lucy and Hyungwon had ruined looked incredibly good after the purple haired finished. It was good Kihyun didn’t want to go because Changkyun didn’t think it was a good idea to tell the others his parents didn’t let him. He would be ashamed if he had to, so he preferred to avoid it as much as he could.

“Oh, come on! Let’s go all together! It will be fun” Minhyuk circled an arm around Kihyun’s shoulders and the latter shoved him off.

“Fine, I’ll go if you don’t touch me anymore” the purple haired pretended to clean his shoulders and Changkyun muffled his laughter. After that, he couldn’t say no, so he decided to tell his parents he would stay at Wonwoo’s. It wasn’t a good idea, he knew it, but he wanted to go with the others and he couldn’t be the one missing it. Changkyun had a lot of those experiences in the past and he didn’t want to be left aside anymore.

“It’s a date!” Hyungwon said, chuckling at his own words before he started to fall asleep again. He ended up doing nothing for the rest of the morning and, when they were about to leave the community centre, Hoseok had to hit the bench he was sitting on so he woke up.

“Where are you going again?” Jihoon asked, dumbfounded. Kihyun’s best friend knew him like the back of his hand and he couldn’t believe the purple haired was going out on a Saturday night; much less when he told him where he was going.

“I’m going to a nightclub with my community service group” Kihyun sighed, not feeling ready to face a nightclub. He had been there when he was a bit younger and, even if he loved dancing, the environment made him get annoyed. The smoke, the loud music, those flashing lights... ugh, he hated it. He was still regretting his decision, but he knew Hyungwon and the others wouldn’t leave him alone if he declined. The good thing was that Changkyun would be there too and it seemed he had never been to a nightclub before. He could stick to him if the others did something he didn’t like.

“Do you have a fever?” Jihoon went closer to him and touched his forehead to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating - he had to tiptoe to do that because he was extremely short -. “You hate nightclubs and you told me they are assholes” his best friend said keeping a deep frown on his face while talking.

“I know, but they insisted and they convinced me...” he didn’t know what to tell Jihoon. He didn’t know about Kihyun’s power, nor about the incident with their previous probation worker. “Look, I’ll be back early, I promise” he said and Jihoon nodded.

“It’s fine, you can come back whenever you want. I was just... surprised” the short one paused before pronouncing his last word, but left Kihyun alone after that, walking in silence to the kitchen. Kihyun was ready to leave so he grabbed his coat and his scarf and put them on. “Be careful and don’t drink” Jihoon said when he reached the front door and waved his hand at him as a greeting. Kihyun chuckled, greeting him back before locking the door behind him. Their dorm was incredibly loud at that hour. Students went from one side to the other, running through the corridors while laughing and talking. Kihyun had to dodge two boys because they weren’t paying attention. But he felt relieved when the elevator’s doors closed in front of his face and silence surrounded him. It was good to be alone in a closed space, even if it was for a few seconds only.

The lift didn’t take long to reach the ground floor and Kihyun started walking. He felt weird, to be honest. All dressed up in fancy clothes, his hair styled, and no backpack on. He usually wore casual clothes and, since he didn’t go out at all, it was all so unfamiliar. His community service companions were okay, he just hoped he had fun because that was out of his comfort zone.

Kihyun walked, took the bus to Hyungwon’s nightclub - it wasn’t technically his, but the purple haired called it that -, and got off once he arrived at the correct stop. He looked around, a bit confused. He didn’t see the nightclub nor people gathering somewhere. It was a quiet, dark street with no one around. Before he could take another step he heard someone loudly running in his direction. Kihyun abruptly turned around, ready to throw punches and kicks to defend himself until he saw Changkyun, nearly hyperventilating. “Hyung!” he yelled, tripping on his own feet right after and almost falling on top of Kihyun. The latter couldn’t help to burst out laughing and caught the boy by his shoulders just in time. “I-I’m sorry” he was gasping for breath as if he had run a marathon and the purple haired wondered what happened to him. “I m-missed the s-stop and I h-had to w-walk t-ten b-blocks” he paused and Kihyun motioned with his hands for him to slow down. “And I t-thought s-someone was f-following me” he finally finished his sentence and the purple haired understood the reason for him being that scared.

“Relax, no one’s following you” Kihyun softly said, caressing Changkyun’s arm in a soothing manner. “Oh, erase that, someone’s totally following you” the purple haired rolled his eyes at the sight he spotted behind the younger. There Hoseok was, hiding behind a tree while keeping his laughter from coming out. Changkyun turned around and whined like a kid once he saw who it was. The strong one approached them and patted the black haired’s back while laughing loudly. “Hoseok-hyung, you are unbelievable” Kihyun sighed. “Scaring a boy out of fun” the purple haired stated. “How old are you again?” he asked as a rhetorical question but Hoseok didn’t get it and replied.

“I’m 22”

“I know, it was a rhetorical question, dumbass” Kihyun sighed in annoyance.

“Oh! I get it” the elder smiled, circling an arm around Changkyun, who still seemed pretty upset about what he did. After that, Kihyun relaxed and finally paid attention to his companions’ looks. Hoseok didn’t call the purple haired’s attention, he was pretty much the same as every day. His clothes were fancy but he didn’t know how to match them to make them look harmonious. He had so many different colours and textures Kihyun was getting dizzy only by glancing at his outfit. But Changkyun, on the other hand, looked shockingly good. The purple haired started wondering if he was a famous singer or something - he doubted it -. The younger’s clothes were the definition of fancy - he had a lot of money so it made sense - and he styled his hair in a way Kihyun didn’t know how to do himself. He also had eye makeup on and it was really well done. The purple haired couldn’t believe it, so he stared at him a bit too long, sinking in his handsomeness.

“Is it too much? I wanted to look older” Changkyun said, interrupting Kihyun’s shameless check out. “My best friend Wonwoo wouldn’t stop mocking me” he pouted. “I had to change at his house so my parents wouldn’t see me” he said, turning to the side to show his backpack Kihyun assumed was full of clothes.

The purple haired pretended not to be staring and quickly replied what first came into his mind. “No! You look nice”

“Gucci?!” Hoseok yelled as he caught Changkyun’s jacket’s label in his hand. “How rich are you?” he asked, making the younger nervous. Kihyun knew he didn’t want the others to know anything, but he was being too evident by wearing those clothes. Maybe they were the only ones he had because it was obvious his parents gave him money for them.

“I-I’m not rich! It’s fake” he lied though Hoseok wasn’t buying it.

“This doesn’t look fake. It has such a nice quality” he touched the jacked as if it was a treasure. “Why are you doing community service? You didn’t get to say” Hoseok stared at Changkyun, waiting for an answer. Kihyun didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t always defend the younger, so he stayed in silence. “What was your crime?” the elder added in case Changkyun hadn’t understood the question. Thankfully, he didn’t get to answer that night either.

“What’s up?!” Minhyuk jumped at Hoseok, screaming the words in his ear and nearly giving the three of them a heart attack. Jooheon walked in their direction and greeted them with a smile, joining the group quietly, unlike the blond. They both saved Changkyun. Hoseok completely forgot about his previous question and pushed Minhyuk off him, arranging his clothes after that. “Are you waiting for someone?” the blond asked, looking around in curiosity.

“Nope” Kihyun replied. “Let’s go” he commanded, though, before taking the first step in the nightclub’s direction, the sisters appeared. They all assumed Hyungwon was already waiting at the club and they hurried. The tall one had to get them in and they didn’t want him to forget about it.

When they arrived at the nightclub, there were people making a long line outside. They had to walk to the main door to find Hyungwon and he smiled at the sight of them. “I thought you weren’t coming” he spoke in a high tone of voice so everyone heard him. “Come with me” he added, guiding them to the back door and letting them in. The security guards nodded at Hyungwon and didn’t say a word while they walked through a narrow corridor which guided them to the main room. Kihyun instantly remembered why he didn’t like those places. The crowd of people, the smoke, the sticky floor, the loud music which made them unable to have a normal conversation, and the awful, dark walls decorated with weird patterns and neon lights to give the place a special touch. “I hate this” he muttered to himself, but Changkyun heard him and chuckled.

“I haven’t been in a nightclub before, but I’m already hating it” the younger replied, making Kihyun giggle. They headed to the dance floor as Hyungwon walked to his DJ position and Minhyuk started dancing like a crazy person while they waited for Hyungwon to finally start playing music himself. Jooheon made the blond stop after he hit him twice without intending to, but Minhyuk didn’t seem to be able to stop. He stayed put for a few seconds to then move again. The sisters and Kihyun were throwing their typical judging glares at him, until Hyungwon finally started DJing. He was actually pretty good. The purple haired thought he was useless before that moment, but he was proven wrong. The music he used had a nice rhythm and made the crowd dance and jump. Kihyun didn’t know what to do, they were standing in the middle without moving - except for Minhyuk and Jooheon who were already dancing - and it was a little awkward.

“Let’s dance, Hollie” Hoseok tried to intertwine his fingers with Hollie’s, though the girl pushed him away.

“I’m not gonna make out with you, oppa” she said, rolling her eyes, and Kihyun guessed she read Hoseok’s mind. “Let’s dance separately since this is getting awkward” she proposed and moved a little, dragging her sister with her. Lucy whined, making some funny moves to then stop abruptly and cover her face. “Come on, Kihyun, Changkyun” Hollie yelled. “Show us your dance moves” she was trying to be nice but Changkyun was pale beside Kihyun. “Come on!” she grabbed Changkyun’s arm and made him relax a little. Kihyun stared at the scene and laughed lowly, starting to dance as well. He wasn’t ashamed of his own moves, he thought he was great at dancing.

“Hey! You want to dance with him and not with me?” Hoseok complained. “This isn’t fair” he crossed his muscled arms over his chest and Hollie rolled her eyes.

“He’s shy! And he doesn’t want to kiss me” Hollie replied and Hoseok finally stopped whining. Kihyun had to admit his companions were funny and he was having a good time. They ended up creating new dance moves and laughing about it. The purple haired knew they wouldn’t last that long, but it was good they got to relax and forget about their problems for a while.

Hyungwon raised his hands up in the air and shouted ‘make some noise’ to the crowd of people. He was so immersed in his music he barely noticed his community service partners dancing in a funny way in the middle of the dance floor. The tall one knew he was a good DJ, and he liked the reactions he was getting. His adrenaline was high and he was feeling less sleepy. He mixed songs, added different sounds and did his magic. Hyungwon was consumed by his happiness and something totally unexpected happened. He touched one of the buttons on his CDJ and suddenly everyone in the nightclub fell asleep. Hyungwon stopped what he was doing and stared at the crowd lying on the floor. He covered his mouth and widened his eyes, not knowing what to do. He felt so awake at that moment that he believed his power was like a drug, some strong drug he was growing addicted to. Hyungwon loved his ability and he could usually control it, he didn’t know what went wrong at that time.

He was so deep in his thoughts he totally failed to notice Lucy standing up in the middle of the sleeping crowd, not understanding anything about the situation. “Hey! Lower the fucking music!” she yelled, making Hyungwon finally realize she was there. Why wasn’t she sleeping too? _‘Oh no’_ the gray haired thought, not liking the idea of Lucy having the same power and much less the idea of her not getting affected by it. Hyungwon pouted as he turned off the music and Lucy sighed. “Finally!” she said. “What have you done?” she asked and the tall one raised his shoulders.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Hyungwon replied, not knowing what to do. “Do you know how to wake people up?” he thought waking everyone up would be a problem and he didn’t know what he would tell the crowd once they started getting up little by little.

“Of course not! Our power is making people sleep, not waking them up” Lucy rolled her eyes, thinking it was an obvious fact. “By the way, your power doesn’t work on me” she raised her brows twice. “And mine doesn’t work on you... damn it!” she realized it while she was speaking and made Hyungwon chuckle.

“We cannot mock each other, that would be stupid” the gray haired said and Lucy pouted.

“I would love mocking you... it’s a shame” she told Hyungwon, looking around at their group. Minhyuk fell on top of Jooheon, Hoseok crashed Hollie’s legs - Hyungwon was sure she would feel the pain once she woke up -, and Changkyun was facing Kihyun and had an arm on his stomach. “Okay, what do we do?” she asked and the tall one came up with a plan.

“You seriously made everyone sleep?” Minhyuk asked when they were walking back to the bus stop. When the crowd woke up, Hyungwon pretended he had woken up seconds ago and the cops started investigating the place in case someone used a toxic gas or something. They had to leave the place at that moment, but it was already 5am so they didn’t care much.

“Yes, I did” Hyungwon smiled proudly.

“Except for me” Lucy raised her hand and Kihyun laughed at Hyungwon’s disappointed expression.

“Shut up, you are jealous of me because you think it was awesome and you want to do the same thing” the gray haired said, though Lucy shook her head, denying Hyungwon’s statement.

“You are so powerful, I wish I had a power like yours” Minhyuk whined and Lucy pointed at him with both palms.

“See? He’s the jealous one, not me” she laughed and hi fived with Hollie.

“I wish I had a power” Jooheon complained and Lucy pointed at him.

“And he’s even more jealous” she said and Hyungwon couldn’t help to chuckle, though when he realized he was laughing at something Lucy told him, he became serious again.

“Well, our bus is here” Hollie stated. “Bye, see you on Monday” she added and dragged Lucy to the vehicle. “It was fun” she said just before the doors closed behind their backs. And, like that, everyone left, except for Changkyun. Kihyun was about to take his own bus when he saw the younger wasn’t moving and got worried about him.

“Hey, aren’t you leaving? Isn’t your bus coming?” he asked, sitting by his side on the bus stop’s bench that was placed under the glass roof.

“I have to wait... I don’t have anywhere to stay and my parents will totally kill me if I arrive at 6am” he chuckled and Kihyun couldn’t believe he was doing such a silly thing. But then he remembered his teenage days and understood perfectly.

“Do you want to go grab some coffee?” the purple haired couldn’t help it, he wanted to protect Changkyun. And the way those eyes brightened made Kihyun’s heart speed up a little. “I can keep you company” he flashed him a friendly grin, and the younger nodded.

“Sure! Thank you, hyung!” he said, getting up to follow Kihyun around like a lost puppy. They found an open coffee shop a few blocks away - like 20 blocks or so, but they weren’t in a rush - and they looked for a table near the window. Kihyun ordered two cups of Americano and they sat there in silence, glancing at the place. It was cozy; the walls were painted in warm tones and it had nice works of art hanging. “Hyung, I’ll go change. I’ll be back in a few minutes” Changkyun announced, taking his backpack with him as he headed to the bathroom. Kihyun stared at the bathroom’s door until the waiter gave him their order. He started drinking his coffee once it was on the table, afraid it would turn cold after some minutes.

Changkyun was slow. He took longer than Kihyun thought. He had a whole outfit to change but the purple haired was quicker than that, he was sure of it. When the younger finally came out, he was wearing casual jeans and a cute hoodie that made him look like a kid. His makeup and styled haired were long gone, and he looked fresh, as if he had taken a shower minutes ago. Kihyun stared for the umpteenth time that night, and tried not to be so obvious. He pushed the cup of coffee closer to Changkyun and the latter drank the hot beverage. “How come you don’t have anywhere to stay?” Kihyun asked when the silence was too much for him.

“My friend, Wonwoo, couldn’t tell his parents he was inviting me over only for me to be able to go to a nightclub... so I decided to change there and then leave and stay at the bus stop until it was 9am or so” he answered and the purple haired shook his head in disbelief.

“You could have told us” Kihyun said. “I didn’t mind you staying at my dorm and I’m sure Hoseok has enough space for you too” he added and Changkyun seemed surprised.

“I haven’t thought about it... but I guess you are right” the black haired replied. “I just don’t ask people for help unless they are really close to me” he confessed and Kihyun nodded. He was like Changkyun, he didn’t trust people easily and he never asked for anything. “I only ask Wonwoo” he chuckled, drinking from his cup of hot coffee.

“Don’t you have other friends?” Kihyun asked, knowing it wasn’t a nice question. He didn’t want to stay in silence for too long and he couldn’t think about anything else. Changkyun didn’t seem to mind though, he shook his head as an answer and placed his cup carefully on the wooden surface of the table.

“I’m usually quiet” Changkyun started. “And I didn’t think it was a bad thing until they started noticing I didn’t talk much” he rolled his eyes. “And started bullying me too” he sighed. “But I don’t mind, they haven’t harmed me in any way. They just say ‘hurtful’ comments” he chuckled. “And now they think there’s a ghost at school because I accidentally made a few things explode...” Changkyun let out a long sigh.

“You are probably gonna hate me after I tell you this but...” Kihyun paused. “...I was one of the popular ones at school” he finished his sentence and Changkyun laughed.

“Why would I hate you?” the black haired asked. “I imagined” Changkyun said and Kihyun tilted his head to the side.

“Why?” the elder curiously questioned, staring at the black haired while drinking coffee.

“I don’t know... you seem cool and self confident” Changkyun told him. “And you are very handsome” he added and Kihyun’s eyes widened in surprise. “I mean, you’ve got a nice face and-

“It’s okay, I know how good looking I am” Kihyun joked, trying to save Changkyun any explanations. “I just thought people couldn’t appreciate my beauty” he kept on going and the younger laughed. “You know, Changkyun, you are not ugly” he said and the black haired laughed again. “No, I’m serious” he stated.

“Thanks” Changkyun smiled. “I think you are the only one who thinks so” he chuckled.

“I'm not” Kihyun replied, making the younger smile once more.

They stayed at the coffee shop until it was 9am, chatting about their lives and they went to the bus stop together. Kihyun stared at Changkyun as they walked side by side and wondered how he did to hide his sadness. The purple haired knew he wasn’t fine, mostly because of his parents, but he managed to show a smile anyway. Kihyun hid his issues too, though he learned how to do it when he turned 20. But maybe Changkyun had been doing it since he was little. “Okay, see you on Monday” the black haired said, stopping his bus. “Thank you for keeping me company, hyung” he patted Kihyun’s arm and flashed him a toothless grin.

“You’re welcome” the purple haired waved his hand at Changkyun. “Next time, ask for help” he stated and the younger nodded.

“I promise I will” he replied, entering the vehicle and searching for a seat.


	5. Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5th chapter!  
> I know this is probably extreme slow burn (in Changki terms) and you want more romantic action, but I wanted to write something different, so here it is xD
> 
> Hope you like it!

Hoseok ran as fast as he could, escaping from the man who chased him. He was dodging fire balls and yelling like crazy, hoping someone would hear him and wake up. He was walking around the city, looking for a place to buy snacks. He had to study and he needed food to feed his poor brain, but it was 4am and he didn’t know where to go. When he finally found an open grocery shop, he realized he had stolen from it before - without intending to, of course -, and the owner of the store recognized him. It wouldn’t have been a problem if it weren’t for the man’s power. Hoseok didn’t think about it before, but he now knew there were other people around Seoul who got affected by that storm. As he fell on the floor, cutting his right knee a bit, he thought about his special ability and how useless it was to defend himself. Lifting heavy things wouldn’t save him from a flamethrower, so the moment one of the fire balls hit the floor next to him, he decided it was time to hide.

He got up and kept on running until he found an empty alley, a little too narrow for his liking. It was dark and had some trash bags by the side. He squatted behind them, covering his mouth not to let his breathing be heard by the raged man. The owner stopped near the alley, cursing loudly before returning to his shop, and Hoseok let out a long sigh of relief. His tense body relaxed and he had to stay there for a while, trying to calm his raced heart.

As he returned home empty-handed, with a strong knee-ache and his only black jeans now ripped, he thought about the possibilities of finding more people with special abilities around Seoul and how dangerous it would be if someone powerful got pissed at him again. Hoseok had to warn his community service mates just in case. Maybe they would be in a dangerous situation one of those days and it would be good if they knew what happened to him.

When he opened the door of his tiny apartment, he let his body fall on his uncomfortable couch. He felt as if he had worked out 7 hours straight, he couldn’t move a muscle. He had to wake up early in the morning though he doubted he would be able to. Hoseok took a deep breath and closed his eyes, not managing to go to bed before he fell deeply asleep.

Changkyun couldn’t believe his teacher made them stay one more hour when he clearly specified he had to go do his community service. He was now - gently - pushing people to get there as fast as possible, but he knew he was at least half an hour late already. When he finally arrived there, he found the others in the main hall helping Son Hyunwoo arrange everything for a kids’ event. Changkyun excused himself - after Minhyuk started whistling at him and telling him to hurry up - and headed to the locker room. He didn’t know how he did it, but he was ready in less than two minutes. He ran back to the place and, before he got there, he slipped and fell. His mates laughed at him as his cellphone traveled through the tile floor until it hit Hyunwoo’s foot. Changkyun was surprised that even Kihyun was making fun of his stupidity, though he walked to his side to help him get up. “You are a clumsy boy” Minhyuk yelled from the distance.

“Here you go” Son Hyunwoo returned his cellphone to him. “Nothing happened to it” he added and then turned around. “Let’s go on” he instructed and they all grabbed some more tables to put together.

“Are you okay?” Kihyun asked once they were working.

“Yeah, I’ll just have a few bruises tomorrow... nothing serious” Changkyun chuckled and the elder shook his head in disbelief. “Where is Mr. Kim?” the black haired looked around, thinking he should tell his probation worker about his delay. He felt too guilty to keep it to himself, and he knew the community center should give him half an hour more for him to complete the time the judge sentenced him to.

“Balloon head? He went to get some pizza because he was hungry” Kihyun rolled his eyes after answering. “Such an unprofessional man” he said, making Changkyun laugh. “At least this Son Hyunwoo guy knows what he’s doing with the charity events” he kept on speaking while trying to lift a wooden table by himself. Surprisingly, Hoseok went to them and helped - he ended up lifting every table himself since he was very strong -.

“Hey guys” Hoseok interrupted their conversation and stayed close to them. “Something terrible happened to me last night” he whispered and the others gathered with them when they realized the brunette was telling a story. Son Hyunwoo stayed alone with Minhyuk at the other end of the room while Hoseok spoke, and Jooheon kept on glancing at them, trying not to explode in anger. “Remember why I’m here?” he asked and the others nodded. “Well, last night I wanted some snacks since my brain was dying at 4am” he paused. “And I entered one of the grocery shops I had stolen from before” he sighed. “The owner chased me around the city throwing fucking fireballs at me!” he raised his voice a little and Kihyun shushed him. “Sorry” he apologized.

“Fireballs? So, he had a power too!” Lucy said as she touched Hoseok’s muscled arm unconsciously. “I think one of our students has powers too” the girl said and her sister backed her up.

“I saw her moving her stuff with her mind in one class” Hollie seemed amazed. “But she didn’t see me, thankfully” she said, and Changkyun wondered what the two sisters taught.

“Are you teachers?” Hyungwon raised a brow, not believing it. The sisters nodded and he gasped in surprised. “ _You_ are teachers?” he asked again, incredulously widening his eyes.

“Yes, dude. We teach English because we are awesome, unlike you” Lucy stuck her tongue out at him. “I wish I could make you sleep so you shut up” she rolled her eyes.

“You shut up” Hyungwon replied, giggling dumbly.

“Stop it, the both of you!” Hollie ordered and they complied, though they kept on throwing deadly glares at each other. “Are you okay, Hoseok-oppa?” the girl turned to look at the brunette and the latter smiled. Changkyun knew Hoseok liked Hollie, and it was cute how happy he got every time the girl talked to him.

“My knees are sore...” he paused, pretending they ached a lot more than they truly did. “But he didn’t get to burn me” he added, and Hollie nodded. “I wanted to warn you about it because I got worried” the muscled one said and they all thanked him, even if they didn’t cross paths with a dangerous person yet. Besides, the only one who did some personal revenge was Kihyun, but his ‘enemy’ didn’t seem to have powers since Kihyun controlled him on various occasions. Changkyun was surprised he himself didn’t find any powerful person at school. He was sure some students had special abilities but it was weird none of them boasted about it.

“Um... you, criminals” Son Hyunwoo called them and the sisters shared annoyed glances.

“Criminals? Is he fucking serious?” Jooheon asked in a whisper, though they turned around and waited for the elder to say something. They couldn’t confront anyone or the law could give them more community service. If they fought with the president of a charity organization, they would be doomed. But more than one of them felt like yelling to Son Hyunwoo to tell him they weren’t criminals.

“The kids are about to arrive” Hyunwoo said. “I want you to help me take care of them and entertain them, and also make sure each one of them gets food” he instructed and the others didn’t say anything. Kihyun had his usual chewing gum in his mouth and his teeth squeezing the gum was the only sound they could hear. “Are you following?” he asked and Minhyuk clung to his thick arm.

“Yes, Hyunwoo-hyung, we understand perfectly” the blond liked Hyunwoo a lot and Jooheon growled at the sight. The others turned to look at him in confusion and thought he should just ask Minhyuk to be his boyfriend if he was that jealous.

“I thought you weren’t together” Hyungwon frowned.

“We aren’t!” Jooheon yelled and left, pretending to organize the tables. Hyungwon turned to look at Changkyun and raised his shoulders, making him laugh. After that, Kihyun grabbed Changkyun’s wrist and squeezed it. The younger didn’t understand anything until he saw a bunch of children from 8 to 11 years entering the building. The black haired got so nervous his heart was speeding up like crazy, and most of them seemed to be in the same state. Hoseok was fascinated, just like Kihyun and Minhyuk - the blond was already greeting the children -, but the rest were pretty hesitant.

When Hyunwoo managed to make the children sit around the big tables, he made the others stand by his side to introduce them. Changkyun was still nervous. The charity organization president sent them to the tables to hand the kids some snacks and drinks so they could eat while they drew something, and his legs were shaking as he walked in their direction. They had a table each and Changkyun didn’t think he could handle it. “Is there something wrong? You look pale” Kihyun asked before they reached their destiny.

“I’m terrible at this” he whispered, making sure no one heard him.

“Relax, you’ll do fine” the purple haired elbowed him softly - because their hands were carrying heavy boxes -. “Be nice and try to raise your tone of voice a little” Kihyun instructed. “They usually don’t like deep voices, and if you speak too low, they won’t pay attention to you” he added and Changkyun could swear his heart stopped beating for a few seconds. He had a deep voice and he usually spoke very lowly. The purple haired smiled at him and stopped by one of the wooden tables, making him feel even more nervous. There were only two groups left and Hyungwon stayed next to him, not wishing to go alone either.

“Do you want to run away with me?” the tall one said and Changkyun chuckled a bit, nodding right after. But Hyungwon was joking and, before they could do anything to escape, the children turned to look at them. If they hadn’t been holding those heavy boxes, Changkyun was sure Hyungwon would have taken his hand or something because he went closer to him. He turned completely pale and his body stiffened visibly.

“Hi!” the black haired tried his best to sound cheerful and made his voice lighter not to scare them. “We brought some food for you” he smiled and Hyungwon nodded next to him. “Go to the other table” Changkyun whispered, directing his words at the gray haired. The latter complied but didn’t say anything to the children. He stared at them with nervous eyes and left the boxes of snacks and drinks on top of the wooden surface. The kids attacked the boxes, grabbing more than one bag of food each. Son Hyunwoo had to approach Hyungwon’s table and fix the mess. Changkyun, on the other hand, gave the stuff to the children himself, not wanting to create a chaos. He was copying Kihyun because he seemed to know what he was doing, and the kids were very happy with him.

Hollie looked fine too, even if she complained when they found out they would be spending time with children. But Lucy was terrified, just like Hyungwon. Changkyun thought those two would make a great couple. They were so much alike and, even if they fought, they were perfect for each other. The black haired bet they were both thinking about putting all those kids to sleep with their power. It was a pity they couldn’t because Changkyun would appreciate that too. Hoseok, Minhyuk and Jooheon were also good with children, the three of them were the useless ones. Son Hyunwoo helped every time he could but he was trying to get everything ready for the performance team he hired. It was very good; they were a group of four women who danced and sang for the kids. They enjoyed it very much - and not only the children -.

As the hours went by, Changkyun felt more comfortable around the infants. They weren’t that bad once they started growing confident, but he had to admit some of them were annoying as hell. The good thing was Hoseok kept those because he knew how to treat them. The black haired was reading a story to a group of girls together with Kihyun, and once they were done, they went to play with the others. There was a mass of people inside the community centre going from one side to the other - while Kim Jongwoon ate pizza in his office -, and Changkyun was getting dizzy. When he went to sit for a few seconds on top of the stage, he tried to reach for his cellphone but it wasn’t in his pocket. _‘Shit’_ he cursed mentally and started walking all around the place, asking the others if they had seen it anywhere. Their parents weren’t in good terms with him lately and they wouldn’t buy a new device for him.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Kihyun approached him when he realized how desperate he was. “Did any of the kids do something? Do you need help?” the purple haired was such a sweetheart to him. Changkyun wondered what made him change his attitude because he didn’t treat the others that way. Kihyun helped him relax and encouraged him; something he seriously needed those days.

“No, I...” he looked around one more time. “I lost my cellphone” he sighed and Kihyun frowned.

“Where was it?” the elder asked, searching for it under the tables.

“In my pocket but... this has never happened before... it’s strange” Changkyun whined. “And my pocket is so deep it would have been impossible for it to fall” the black haired assured and Kihyun nodded.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find it” he said and went to tell Hyunwoo about it. The latter helped them search for a while but they eventually gave up. Changkyun’s phone was nowhere to be seen and he thought maybe someone took it. If that was the case, it was too late. The black haired focused on his tasks until Hyungwon came to him, looking for his earphones. He also had them in his pocket and Changkyun started suspecting something.

“Can you come to the locker room with me? I want to make sure I didn’t leave them there” the tall one told Changkyun and dragged him through the right corridor, straight to the locker room. They moved their things inside their lockers, lifted backpacks, and even lifted the benches and opened the toilets’ doors: nothing. “So strange! I swear my earphones were in my pocket!” Hyungwon crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay... let’s get back” he surrendered and they walked back to the hall. The kids were still playing around the community centre but Changkyun noticed something, there were two girls missing. The black haired had been reading a story to them and he clearly remembered one girl dressed in a pink outfit and the other in a purple one.

“Hey, hyung” Changkyun patted Hyungwon’s arm. “I think two girls are missing” he said. “Do you think they took our stuff?” the younger asked, even though he doubted two little girls would steal from them.

“I don’t think so” Hyungwon pointed at the other end of the room and there the girls were, holding Minhyuk’s hands while walking around. “Besides, if they had stolen something from our pockets, we would have felt it” he was completely right. Their pockets were touching their thighs and it was impossible they hadn’t noticed.

“Have you found your stuff already?” Minhyuk went closer to them and circled his arms around the two boys’ shoulders - it was a funny sight considering how tall Hyungwon was and how short Changkyun was in comparison -.

“No, we haven’t” Hyungwon replied, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance. Before he could say anything else, Hoseok ran to them, pushing Minhyuk harshly.

“Hey! What the fuck, man?” the blond said, caressing his chest in pain.

“You stole my snacks!” Hoseok yelled, pouting like a kid.

“What?! Of course not!” Minhyuk assured. “Why would I want snacks? I can get some from the vending machine if I felt hungry” he added but Hoseok didn’t seem convinced. Their discussion was interrupted by a female voice and they all looked at the person walking in their direction.

“Who of you took our money?” it was Hollie, being followed by Lucy. After those words, Jooheon went there too, saying he couldn’t find his glasses and they all started fighting. Kihyun got there late and couldn’t understand a thing, he just watched the argument in silence, enjoying it.

“It’s not funny! Stop it, Minhyuk-oppa!” Lucy yelled. They all thought it was the blond because he hadn’t missed anything, but he assured them they were wrong. Changkyun wanted everyone to stop. They wouldn’t find their belongings if they kept on fighting and assuming Minhyuk was the culprit.

“Hey, stop it!” Kihyun suddenly shouted, making them all turn around. The purple haired thought it was funny at first but he was already annoyed. “None of us was! Didn’t you think one of these kids maybe has a power and has been messing with us?” Kihyun asked and Changkyun raised his hand. “He’s the only one who thought about it. Great” the purple haired rolled his eyes.

“Well, he’s a rich nerd” Minhyuk said and Changkyun widened his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve seen your school uniform” he kept on talking, going closer to the black haired. “And I remembered” he paused, scanning Changkyun from head to toes. “You never told us what crime you committed” the blond made the younger get goosebumps as he got even closer. “Did you try to murder someone? Did you stare at some girl outside her window?-

“What?! Of course not! I’m neither pervert nor a killer” Changkyun sighed and decided it was time to surrender. He wouldn’t be able to distract them the whole six months of community service, he needed to do it fast so they forgot about it in a few weeks. It wasn’t a big deal; he helped some robbers. He had been dumb, just that. He could endure the mocking; he was used to it.

“Then, what? Did you rob someone like this dummy here?” Minhyuk pointed at Hoseok. He was extremely impatient and wasn’t planning to wait. Kihyun was about to open his mouth and help him somehow, but he stopped him midway, placing a hand on his chest.

“I helped some robbers because I thought they were my neighbors and were moving out of their house” Changkyun said, waiting for the others to laugh. As he predicted, they did. Hoseok let out a horse laugh and the others followed. Hyungwon even fell to the ground and clutched at his stomach while laughing silently. Kihyun limited himself to roll his eyes and sigh. He was trying to figure who stole their stuff, but Minhyuk interrupted his theory by attacking Changkyun and there they were, laughing instead of thinking who could have stolen their things.

“What are you doing? Come and help me” Hyunwoo suddenly appeared, making them stop. Minhyuk automatically went after him, clinging to his arm as if he was his wife. Jooheon’s glare returned to his face and he growled as his ‘fuck buddy’ tried to seduce another man.

“Yes, Hyunwoo-hyung” the blond giggled. “These criminals were doing nothing and I came to tell them they should be helping” he said, turning to look at the rest of the group to mutter a silent ‘sorry’. Jooheon growled even louder and he grumpily followed Hyunwoo and Minhyuk.

“I’m surprised” Hyungwon whispered so Hyunwoo couldn’t hear him. “I thought Hoseok-hyung was the dumbest one here” he added.

“Hey! I’m not dumb!” Hoseok yelled.

“I’m not dumb either, it was a mistake” Changkyun tried to defend himself but it was in vain. The sisters were trying their best not to giggle and Hyungwon was already laughing. “Okay, I was a little stupid...” the younger said though the others stared at him as if he was being too soft on himself. “Fine! I was very stupid” he admitted and the four nodded. Kihyun chuckled, not being able to keep his serious expression anymore.

“You sure were” the purple haired circled an arm around his shoulders while giggling softly, and made Changkyun smile a little. “Okay, let’s stop” he ordered. “We need to find the kid who stole your stuff” he reminded everyone. “Let’s watch them carefully” he commanded and the others nodded. Minhyuk and Jooheon weren’t listening, but it wasn’t a problem, 6 heads were enough to find a single kid. Changkyun looked around, trying to spot something strange. There was nothing. The children were sitting on the floor while playing with some things Hyunwoo had given them, and then they made a game all together. Changkyun was starting to feel anxious because he wanted his cellphone back, and the sisters were about to burst and tell everyone to return their money. Hoseok and Hyungwon didn’t lose much, but they were also getting impatient.

After a while, when the event was about to end, Changkyun went to help some kids get up and something very strange happened. A little gave him his hands so he could get him up, but as the black haired tried to grab them, his own hands went past through him. _‘It’s him’_ Changkyun thought and the boy widened his eyes to then start running. The black haired followed him through the gray corridor and the others saw him. The ran with him and got surprised when the kid entered a random room through the wall. “Amazing!” Hoseok exclaimed in disbelief.

“Let’s split up!” Hollie suggested and they all went searching for the boy in different directions and rooms. Lucy and Hyungwon entered the locker room, Hollie and Hoseok tried another room they had never seen before, Minhyuk and Jooheon ran to the left side - fighting the whole time -, and Kihyun went with Changkyun to the right side. They didn’t know where the kid was, but they gave it a shot. The purple haired had a frown on his face and he suddenly pointed forward with his index finger. The boy appeared through one of the walls and widened his eyes when he saw them.

“There he is!” he shouted, grabbing Changkyun’s wrist to make him follow. The black haired could tell his pockets were full, and Hyungwon’s headphones were sticking out. How didn’t they notice before? Maybe there were so many kids their eyes couldn’t register anything. Kihyun ran as fast as he could and, when they were about to catch the boy, he used his power and made their foreheads collide. They both fell backwards and growled in pain, and one of the lights above Changkyun’s head exploded. “That little bastard” Kihyun stood up and helped the black haired. “Are you okay?” he asked, worried because Changkyun wouldn’t stop touching his sore spot.

“Yes, it just hurts so much” he whined and the purple haired caressed his back in a comforting manner.

“You are such a sensitive person” Kihyun muttered, letting out a sight chuckle. Changkyun pouted at that and then kept on going, walking around the huge building. It was already dark outside and the kids were about to leave. They needed to find the boy right away or their belongings would be lost forever. Kihyun and Changkyun searched everywhere until they got tired and returned to the locker room. There Lucy and Hyungwon were, sitting on a bench while chatting happily. It was weird to see them getting along, but Changkyun discovered the reason and understood. The boy was there with them, sleeping on another bench. They manage to catch him with their power and that made them proud of themselves.

“You did it!” Minhyuk entered the room alone though Jooheon didn’t take long to arrive. “Where are Hollie and Hoseok?” the blonde asked and they all raised their shoulders. “They must still be looking for him” he said. “Changkyun, go and tell them” he ordered but the younger huffed.

“Why me?” he whined.

“Because you are the youngest and you must do everything we say” Minhyuk laughed evilly and the black haired rolled his eyes. “Come on. Go” he smiled and Changkyun was about to say no when Hollie and Hoseok entered the room. They looked as if they were hiding something and the others stared at them curiously. “Where were you?” Minhyuk asked.

“Looking for him” Hollie pointed at the kid, lying on the bench. “What? Why are you staring at us like that?” she asked and the others raised their shoulders.

“You are lucky you are the mind reader here” Minhyuk winked and Hollie frowned, pretending she didn’t get what the blond meant. Changkyun knew Hoseok liked Hollie because he wanted to kiss her when they went to the nightclub, but Hollie didn’t seem eager to give Hoseok a chance. Maybe she changed her mind, they both looked guilty and it couldn’t be anything else.

Everyone decided to drop the issue - after Lucy raised a brow at her sister suspiciously - because the two weren’t admitting anything anyway. The kid didn’t take long to wake up, and Kihyun scolded him. They all decided he was the perfect one to do it. They also suggested Hollie since she usually looked very composed, but they agreed the purple haired would be better. Hyungwon would have laughed in the middle, Minhyuk would have gone too far, Hoseok would have behaved like a child, Changkyun didn’t have enough character, Lucy was extremely awkward with children, and Jooheon just didn’t feel like it.

When the day was over, they were extremely tired. The kid apologized to them and promised he wouldn’t use his power to steal anymore - though they didn’t believe him that much -. He then went back to the group and left. Son Hyunwoo thanked them and waved his hand at them, muttering a low ‘see you around’ and making Minhyuk giggle. After that crazy afternoon, they changed into their casual clothes and sat on the locker room’s benches. Their energy drained out of their bodies and they couldn’t even move.

“Do you think Hyunwoo-hyung likes me?” Minhyuk asked, breaking the silence. Jooheon automatically sighed in annoyance and the blond turned to look at him. “What?” he said. “We aren’t dating, have you forgotten already?” he seemed done with everything. “And you are dating the bitch now” he stood up and started leaving. Jooheon followed him, trying to get his attention, and they both disappeared behind the gray wall.

“Should we go get some drinks? I think I need one” Hyungwon spoke while his body lied lifelessly on the black bench and his head on Changkyun’s slim thighs. “Does anyone smoke pot here?” he asked and Lucy turned to look at him disbelievingly.

“How dare you ask something like that?” Lucy shook her head in disapproval. “We are healthy people, we don’t do those things” she added and Hollie chuckled. “Wait, I was joking. Was it a serious question?” she suddenly realized Hyungwon could have said it seriously.

“Um... no!” Hyungwon giggled, covering his mouth with his palm.

“He’s a DJ, what were you expecting?” Kihyun made the others laugh with those words.

“Hey! Not all DJs consume drugs!” Hyungwon pouted. “And I only smoke pot, nothing else” he admitted, sitting up and getting up to get his backpack. “I’m getting a drink, is someone coming?” he asked though no one answered. “Fine, you are all boring people” he said, storming out of the locker room right after.

“Hollie, do you-

“Shh~” Hollie interrupted Hoseok midway and grabbed her sister’s wrist. “We have to go, it’s late” she stated, making the brunette sad. Lucy raised a brow at her sister and followed her closely.

“You have to tell me what happened” she whispered though the others heard her. Changkyun and Kihyun turned to look at Hoseok.

“What happened?” the purple haired insisted because they really wanted to know.

“I kinda...” he paused, looking troubled. “I kissed her out of impulse” Hoseok confessed and the other two widened their eyes. “I know, it was stupid” the brunette palmed his face. “But she responded for a second and then she pushed me and slapped my face” he sighed. “I apologized but she didn’t want to talk” Hoseok said though gasped right after. “Please, don’t tell anyone!” he begged, kneeling on the floor in front of the two.

“We won’t!” Changkyun assured. “Relax” he patted Hoseok’s shoulder and he got up from the floor.

“I’ll be leaving too. I need something to eat” said the eldest of the three. “Have a nice evening, guys” he headed to the door.

“You too!” Changkyun replied, feeling a little bad for him. As he left, silence filled the room. Kihyun was staring at the lockers in front of them and Changkyun’s eyes were shifting from the purple haired to his hands. None of them knew what to say, but the younger didn’t feel awkward. He just wanted to talk to Kihyun because he enjoyed it, though forcing it wasn’t an option. Changkyun was already suffering in silence for having to return home, so staying there some more minutes didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Hollie will eventually accept him” Kihyun said, surprising the black haired. “I mean, Hoseok is the definition of hot” he added and Changkyun chuckled. “What?” the elder smiled at his companion. “Am I not right?” he asked and Changkyun nodded.

“You’re right” he replied, completely agreeing. “She’s pretending to be tough” they both laughed slightly at that and, when their laughter faded, they stared into each other’s eyes with smiles resting on their features. “Um...” Changkyun cleared his throat after a few seconds. “Are you doing something tonight?” the black haired was curious whether Kihyun would return home right away or not. The younger wished to chat some more, but maybe his companion had to leave.

“I think I’ll buy some dumplings and I’ll eat them with my roommate in front of the TV” he chuckled. “What about you?” Kihyun looked authentically curious and Changkyun liked that kind of attention. It was weird to have an older friend. He only knew people his age - except for his parents and brother -, and he had one true friend: Wonwoo.

“I’ll go back home and probably study...” Changkyun answered, sighing deeply in frustration. He had been studying so much those weeks he could barely look at his notes.

“That sounds fun” Kihyun joked, making him giggle. “Why don’t you just rest for a while? You can lock yourself in your bedroom and play video games or watch a movie” he suggested and Changkyun thought maybe he would listen to him. He already knew everything and he still had a few days before his exams, so he nodded in agreement. “Have your pillow exploded lately?” Kihyun suddenly asked and he got surprised he remembered that.

“No, I guess I managed to control it a little” Changkyun smiled. “But now my wardrobe explodes when I’m having bad dreams or when I’m too stressed out... I had to organize my clothes three times already” he spoke, trying to keep the conversation going.

“That sucks” Kihyun patted his back in comfort. “I could control my boss this week! I’m so happy” he clapped excitedly and Changkyun grinned.

“I’m happy for you” he said and he truly meant it.

“Hey! You two” Jongwoon’s voice echoed around the almost empty room. “Can you leave? I have to lock this place” he added and rolled his eyes when they stood up. The two followed their probation worker around the place and went to the main door, getting out to let the man close it. They greeted him in an unenthusiastic manner and walked through the cement path until they reached the street.

“Changkyun” Kihyun called him before they got to say goodbye. The black haired hummed and looked at him, waiting for him to speak. “If you... if you are bored some day and you don’t know what to do, tell me” he said, startling Changkyun. Was he truly suggesting to get together some time? “I sometimes feel like going to get some ice cream but I have no one to go with” he added and the younger blinked twice, not saying anything. “Okay, this has been awkward enough... forget it” he said. “See you tomorrow” he was about to leave when Changkyun took his hand to stop him.

“Wait, I don’t have your number” the black haired remembered they never asked for their phone numbers. He was actually thinking about it earlier when his cellphone fell to the floor, and he thought they should give their numbers to the rest of the group too, just in case.

“Oh, right! Give me your phone” Kihyun raised his hand and received the device once Changkyun reacted. “Here” he smiled. “Call me so I save yours” the purple haired ordered and the younger complied. Once they were done, Kihyun greeted him and left. Changkyun was happy, he had made a new friend and maybe the others would soon become his friends as well.


	6. Text Messages and Smelly Tasks

“Hoseok-oppa, stop it already! You look like a problematic kid punching that machine!” Hollie yelled after 10 minutes of watching Hoseok kicking and punching the vending machine. The latter was hungry but didn’t have any money to buy snacks, so he was trying to make a bag fall from it. He told everyone he had spent his last bills the night before, buying cup ramen, so he was grumpy. Although he pretended his mood was caused by his hunger and lack of money, Kihyun was sure there was something else he wasn’t telling them.

“Here” Changkyun stood up from the floor and gave him money to buy food. Hoseok’s frown immediately turned into a smile, and he quickly went to the vending machine to get a snack.

“Don’t give him money, he’ll get fat” Minhyuk laughed at his own words and slapped Jooheon’s arm in the process. The latter wasn’t angry anymore. The couple got along perfectly after having sex in the bathroom two days before. Kihyun found them again, together with Changkyun, and the elder covered the black haired’s eyes as usual. The purple haired couldn’t let the younger see those things, he would get traumatized. Kihyun still felt the strong need to protect him and loved sharing late-night text messages from time to time now that they had each other’s phone numbers. They actually exchanged phone numbers with the group as well, but Kihyun only sent texts to Changkyun. They began spending a lot of time together during the community service hours, they even asked Kim Jongwoon to give them the same tasks because they matched perfectly. They had similar attitudes and cared for things, unlike the others. Maybe Hollie did too, but the rest avoided responsibilities every single time they found an opportunity to do so. Hyungwon and Lucy were all day long sitting, even when doing the tasks.

“Don’t be mean, he’s hot” Lucy said and Hollie rolled her eyes. After the kiss - which only five people knew about including Hoseok and Hollie -, Lucy had been provoking Hollie so she would admit she liked Hoseok, though the elder only growled for a second to then change her expression into a forced smile. The strong man chuckled nervously every time Lucy said something about his physical appearance, and he tried to avoid replying. At that moment, he pretended he didn’t hear anything and ate his snacks in silence. He sat beside Changkyun and offered one potato chip to the younger.

“No, thanks” the black haired smiled toothlessly. “I’m not hungry” he added and kept on scrolling down his social media. “The break will be over in five minutes” Changkyun announced and they all whined. Their probation worker made them clean up the place and let them take a 15 minutes break after two hours straight of hard work. It was perfectly understandable they complained.

“I want some” Kihyun straightened his arm, asking for some chips from Hoseok. The latter doubted it for a minute and the purple haired glared at him. “You were about to give one to him!” he said and the muscled one finally shared the food with him. “Thank you” Kihyun sighed, eating the potato chip after rolling his eyes at Hoseok. Silence filled the corridor for a few minutes as they all played games or scrolled down their cellphones, but it was interrupted by Son Hyunwoo, who walked in their direction with his typical expression. The group shared confused glances - except for Minhyuk - and wondered what the man would make them do.

“Good afternoon” the man said, but the only one replying was Minhyuk. The latter even waved his hand at him and Jooheon’s face quickly turned into a glare. “Jongwoon-hyung told me you were cleaning the place” he added and they nodded. “But I told him I needed help to paint some boxes for tomorrow’s charity event and he said you would be glad to do it” Hyunwoo waited for them to say something, but they just stood up lazily, following him through the place after he realized they wouldn’t answer.

When they passed by their probation worker’s office, Kihyun saw him smoking pot and quickly tapped Changkyun’s shoulder for him to see. The younger confusedly looked at him and then noticed his finger pointing in Jongwoon’s direction. Changkyun stared at the older man for a few seconds before he burst out laughing, making the others turn around in curiosity. Kihyun thought it was funny, but he didn’t get why the black haired was laughing so hard until he took another glance at Jongwoon and saw him coughing. Apparently, he had swallowed some ashes and his joint was on the floor, still lit. “What?” Hyungwon asked and the younger shook his head, drying the tears that formed on the corners of his eyes. Kihyun stared at Changkyun, noticing his dimples and his slightly crooked teeth. The younger hadn’t laughed wholeheartedly before, he always gave them small chuckles or light giggles in reaction. But that time, it was completely different. He was genuinely laughing. Kihyun couldn’t understand his own fascination for the black haired, but he swore his heart was speeding up a little - or maybe more than a little.

They kept on walking through the corridor, following Son Hyunwoo in silence. Kihyun took his phone from his overall’s pocket and quickly texted something, sending it to Changkyun.

_I bet Hyungwon smokes like that too_

Changkyun frowned as he felt his own cellphone vibrating in his pocket and he checked the message, covering his mouth not to let out a horse laugh again.

_I bet he’s even clumsier_

_Or maybe Jongwoon-hyung’s balloon head makes him clumsier_

_Could be..._

_But if you think about it, Hyungwon-hyung’s small head could be a problem too_

_You are right..._

_Maybe they are the same after all_

“Stop texting each other, dorks” Minhyuk told them, slapping Changkyun’s nape in the process and making him whine. “What’s so funny anyway?” he asked and the others shared glances to then mutter ‘nothing’ at the same time. “Are you talking about me?” he added and the others chuckled.

“Why would we be talking about you?” Kihyun asked back while Son Hyunwoo picked up the boxes and the different art tools they would be using.

“Because I’m fabulous?” Minhyuk said and Changkyun chuckled. “Hey! Don’t laugh, I am fabulous!” he exclaimed and Kihyun shook his head. Son Hyunwoo ignored their little fight and gave them some brushes and different colors. Changkyun and Hyungwon seemed nervous though Kihyun felt confident.

“I’m a great artist, you’ll all see” the purple haired smiled arrogantly and grabbed one of the wooden boxes they would be using to collect food and other things the next morning. Hyunwoo instructed them to paint something colorful for children and Hoseok immediately started working. Kihyun did too, wanting to finish his drawing first and show everyone how much of a good artist he was. Hollie, Lucy and Minhyuk were entertained with their boxes too, but Hyungwon, Jooheon and Changkyun stared at the wooden material as if it would bite them or maybe murder them. As he noticed it, Kihyun went to sit by the younger’s side and explained how to do it. “See? It’s easier if you draw it first in pencil” he instructed and Changkyun nodded his head. The black haired’s hand was trembling when he was about to draw the first line and Kihyun realized he was left-handed. “You are left-handed” he pointed out.

“Oh, yeah, I am” he moved his left hand to emphasize his words. “And I’m terrible at drawing” he said, pretending to cry. He then turned to his side and gasped, making Kihyun frown in curiosity. What was he looking at? The purple haired glanced in the direction Changkyun did and finally saw it. Hoseok was almost finished with his drawing and he had amazing skills. Kihyun had to admit he never imagined the elder being good at it, but he truly was. He could have been famous if he had wanted to. “Whoa!” Changkyun’s jaw was dropping to the floor and Hoseok smiled at him. “You have so much talent, hyung” he complimented and Kihyun thought he would do an even better job to impress him.

“Thank you, Kyun-ah” Hoseok grinned, preparing his colors to use. Changkyun finally stopped staring at the brunette’s work and started doing something. Kihyun made sure he understood his instructions before starting to paint himself. Silence filled the huge room as they all sat on the floor painting, until one of Changkyun’s paint bottles suddenly exploded. He yelled in surprise and the leg of his orange jumpsuit ended up blue.

“What happened?” Hyunwoo went there to check on them and the younger shook his head.

“It’s nothing! I accidentally dropped it” Changkyun lied, and the charity director didn’t seem convinced, but he just left and kept on counting pamphlets. “I hate my power” the black haired murmured and the others laughed. They were trying not to, though it was in vain. Even if Changkyun was pouting by then, the situation was funny, and Kihyun couldn’t help to join the others. The purple haired wondered what the cause of it exploding was, but his question was soon answered when he checked on the box. There were pencil lines all over it which led to nothing and he was getting frustrated.

They laughed nonstop until Hyunwoo scolded them. Kihyun took a quick glance at Hoseok and realized he was about to finish so he hurried up. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to be the fastest and the best. He wanted to prove he was very talented. So, when he was finally done, he showed his box off, feeling proud of it. “Oh, come on, that’s a terrible drawing” Minhyuk said. “This is a good one” he lifted his, making Kihyun shake his head in disapproval.

“Minhyuk-hyung is very talented” Jooheon trailed off, proud of his ‘fuck buddy’.

“Oh my God! Look at Hoseok’s!” Lucy yelled and the elder turned red like a tomato. Kihyun had to admit it, Hoseok was the best among them all. Changkyun gasped once again, admiring the other’s work, and the purple haired growled. “Hollie, he’s very cool. Don’t you think?” Lucy added to make her sister feel uncomfortable.

“Yes, he is” Hollie glared at the younger woman. “Stop it” she whispered, slapping her sister’s arm softly.

“I’m not doing anything!” Lucy whined. “Sleep” she said, touching Hollie’s shoulder to make her sleep. The elder automatically fell on Hoseok’s thighs, deeply asleep, and the muscled man giggled nervously. “Ups! It seems you are gonna have to take care of her since I cannot lift her” she raised her shoulders, pretending to be innocent.

“But-” Hoseok couldn’t protest because Son Hyunwoo came back and asked about Hollie.

“She’s got a problem. She falls asleep everywhere” Lucy replied. “Maybe Hoseok-oppa could take her to the locker room and stay with her until she wakes up. We need to make sure she’s okay because she gets very scared every time it happens” Lucy lied but Hyunwoo believed her.

“Yes, that’s a good idea” he said. “He’s finished three boxes anyway” the director nodded in approval as he checked one of Hoseok’s boxes. Kihyun hadn’t even noticed he had done that much in such a short time. Apparently, he would have to give up and accept defeat. Hoseok was too good. “This is nice” Hyunwoo complimented. “You may leave” he added and Hoseok had no other choice than to take Hollie to the locker room.

“You are a sneaky bitch” Kihyun whispered and Lucy winked at him. “Hey, Hyungwon! Hand me another box” he ordered, and Hyungwon lazily threw one to him, almost hitting Changkyun’s head in the process. “So useless” the purple haired grunted.

“I’m better than you” Hyungwon told him, lifting his unfinished work.

“You are terrible” Lucy made fun of Hyungwon.

“Oh, yeah? And you are-” he was about to insult her but he stared at Lucy’s box and was surprised to find out she was good. “Oh, shut up” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. His gray hair fell to his face and he pretended not to hear the girl’s laughter. Kihyun chuckled, finding Lucy’s attitude funny. He was paying attention to them until he turned to his side and saw Changkyun’s concentrated face. He was using a brush in a delicate and careful manner while biting the insides of his cheeks, and Kihyun was surprised to find his drawing pretty good. It was neat and he could tell the boy was putting a lot of effort in it. It was a forest with cute animals, something appropriate for kids.

“You lied to me” Kihyun murmured, not wanting the others to hear him so they didn’t mock Changkyun. The younger got startled at the sound of his soft voice, losing his concentration. “You are very good” he whispered and the black haired genuinely smiled.

“You don’t need to lie to make me feel better” Changkyun replied, chuckling.

“I’m not” Kihyun grinned. “I want to apologize, though” he added and the younger frowned in confusion.

“Why?” he asked, returning to his box and moving his hand slowly and carefully around his bird drawing.

“Because I never have faith in you, and then you prove me wrong every single time” Kihyun confessed and Changkyun laughed.

“You are so mean, hyung” the black haired shook his head in disbelief. “And I thought you were the only one in the group who had faith in me” he pouted. But he wasn’t truly sad, Kihyun knew he was joking.

“No one has faith in you, kiddo” Minhyuk said. “You look weak and helpless” he added and Changkyun rolled his eyes. Kihyun threw one of the napkins he had used to clean his brush to him, and made it land on his face. The blond complained, throwing it back.

“That’s not true” the purple haired whispered in Changkyun’s ear.

“Don’t worry” the black haired turned to look into his eyes and Kihyun felt that odd sensation in his chest again. “I don’t take anything he says seriously” he went closer so that Minhyuk didn’t hear him and smiled, making the sensation intensify. Kihyun giggled, trying to look composed as he casually went backwards. Being inches apart from Changkyun’s face made his stare feel even more intense, and that was something he couldn’t handle.

“Hey” Hyungwon spoke after long minutes of just painting. “When are you all coming to see me DJ again?” he asked and no one answered. “Come on” he elbowed Lucy and Changkyun. “I’m incredible, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity” he insisted. “It will be in a bigger club next weekend” he kept on talking so Minhyuk interrupted him.

“Dude, no” the blond sighed. “We hated it” and their conversation ended there. Hyungwon got so angry and whiny he only changed his expression when they left the community centre.

Every single morning, Changkyun wished to stay in bed. Going to school was a nightmare for him and his desire of running away would have intensified if it weren’t for Kihyun’s messages. As he was sitting on his usual desk at the back of the classroom, he had his cellphone hidden under his right leg. Every time he could, he checked on it and replied to Kihyun’s texts, making Wonwoo extremely curious about his behavior. “Do you have a girlfriend?” his best friend asked, trying to peek through his shoulder.

“No, I don’t” Changkyun answered. “He’s just a friend from community service” he explained because he had nothing to hide. He was glad he had made friends there, otherwise he would have been scared at a corner of the locker room. “See? His name is Kihyun” he showed his chat window to Wonwoo.

“I see” the other narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been acting strange since the storm, Kyun” Wonwoo said, picking up his pen to copy some more from the board. Their math teacher was giving them a hundred exercises for them to practice, but all students were so done with everything. Their exams were the following week and they had been studying day after day for them. Changkyun couldn’t even look at his books for more than ten minutes anymore.

“Strange how?” the black haired asked after a short silence - he was sending his reply to Kihyun and he took a few seconds to catch Wonwoo’s words-.

“You went to a nightclub, bro” his best friend told him and Changkyun got his point completely. He was right, he had been acting strange. But it was just because he wanted to fit into the group for once in his life. He was shy and weird, so he usually ended up being the nerd freak. It was the first time he was surrounded by weirdos, and he felt comfortable during his community service hours. Besides, they had their powers in common. They had lived the storm together and it was important to Changkyun. Wonwoo didn’t even believe what happened, and he couldn’t blame him. It was the strangest thing ever.

“I’m just trying my best for them to like me” the black haired admitted and his friend rolled his eyes.

“That’s not what you usually do” Wonwoo said, not liking his answer.

“I know but... I’m tired of being left aside” Changkyun confessed, solving one of the math problems which were written on the board.

“It’s fine, I was just surprised” Wonwoo raised his shoulders and stayed in silence afterwards. Their teacher was starting to throw glances at them and, even though they were whispering, they needed to stop talking if they didn’t want detention at the end of the term. Changkyun grabbed his cellphone when he made sure the eldest man wasn’t looking at them anymore, and he smiled at Kihyun’s message.

_I made him do my job instead, it was hilarious!_

_Ass-Hongbin was surprised and confused when my powers didn’t work on him anymore haha_

_That’s cool!_

_Your power is great when you are able to control it_

_Mine just sucks_

_Both of our powers suck, don’t worry_

_But I think Minhyuk’s is the worst of them all_

_You are right, it is haha xD_

_How’s school going?_

Changkyun was about to reply when his teacher walked to their side to check on them. He had to hide his cellphone again but, thankfully, Kihyun knew everything and wouldn’t get mad if he took longer to answer.

Hyungwon stretched his legs and hit the armrest of his sofa with his feet, not being able to fully achieve it. He was very tall and sleeping on the couch wasn’t as comfortable as it was when he rented his apartment years ago. “Wake up, Hyungwon-ah!” Ilhoon - his roommate - yelled, jumping on him and making him whine in pain.

“Ah! Get off!” Hyungwon shouted and the other laughed frenetically before finally complying. His and Ilhoon’s group of friends were there smoking some pot and playing video games while sitting on the floor. Hyungwon was tired, he needed some sleep, but he didn’t make it to his bed the night before. He remembered arriving late after a night at the bar, serving drinks, and then watching half of a movie before his eyes finally closed. His power was useful at times, he could make people sleep to get more energy himself. But it only lasted until the person woke up, so he needed to use it a lot to keep his stamina for a long time.

“I’m sorry, prince Won” Ilhoon pecked his cheek as a joke and made him growl in disgust. He knew Hyungwon hated other men kissing him in any way, so he did everything he could to mock him. Having a roommate as annoying as Ilhoon was challenging at times, though the gray haired liked him. They were friends since their school years and they had a lot of interests in common. Like video games, smoking pot and going to nightclubs... nothing too deep. “Get up so we can sit on the couch” Ilhoon said, slapping his butt repeatedly.

“Aish! Stop!” Hyungwon finally sat up. “I’m going to bed” he added and brushed his big hands through his messy bangs. When he was about to reach his bedroom, he tripped over one of his dirty t-shirts and fell. He complained and got back up, trying to do his best not to fall again. Ilhoon followed him through the dark hallway and entered his room with him in silence. “What do you want?” Hyungwon asked, taking his uncomfortable jeans off and leaving them on the floor like he always did.

“I have something incredible to share with you” Ilhoon jumped on his bed and took a tiny bag out of his pocket. Hyungwon frowned in confusion until his roommate lifted one of the pills the plastic package contained. They had colorful designs and funny forms. Hyungwon could spot a turtle shaped one and he still didn’t get what they were. Ilhoon’s enormous grin meant nothing good so Hyungwon crossed his arms over his chest, demanding an explanation. “Don’t give me that look” Ilhoon said. “This is pure magic; you should try it” he tried to convince him.

“What is it?” Hyungwon took the pill in between his thumb and his index finger and stared at it, inspecting every part of it.

“It’s...” Ilhoon paused and thought for a few seconds. “...marijuana pills” he answered, winking at him.

“Really?” Hyungwon got surprised. He didn’t know they made those, he thought there were no such thing as marijuana pills. “This is genius!” he smiled at his roommate.

“It is, my friend!” Ilhoon handed him a bag. “Keep them, I have mine” he added. “They are expensive, don’t lose them” he whispered and pocketed his pills before leaving Hyungwon’s bedroom. The tall one stared at the tiny pack for a few minutes, raised his shoulders and, lastly, saved them carefully in his bedside drawer. It was still early in the morning and he decided to sleep some more before he had to go to the community centre. He would try those pills over the weekend and he would make sure his friends went to see him DJ.

“Changkyun!” the black haired heard his name being called and, as he turned around, he found Kihyun running to catch up with him. Changkyun was about to start walking through the cement path which led to the community centre’s main door. He had his earphones on, but he never raised the volume of his music because he didn’t like being distracted while walking through the streets. So he didn’t have trouble hearing Kihyun’s voice while he was approaching.

“Hi!” Changkyun greeted, starting to walk once the purple haired reached him. The younger got surprised when his companion circled an arm around his shoulders and tried to calm his heavy breath. He had been running and he was already tired. Changkyun patted his back as he held him, making sure he wouldn’t fall. “Are you okay? You seem dead tired” he asked, letting out a small chuckle.

“I am p-pretty much d-dead” Kihyun said, finally letting go of him to walk properly. “What do you w-walk so fast f-for?” he breathed deeply and managed to calm down a little.

“I don’t do it on purpose” Changkyun replied. “I thought you came from the other end of the city” he frowned, feeling confused. Kihyun went to class in the afternoon, and the campus was pretty far away from there. His workplace wasn’t as far, but he went there in the morning so it didn’t make sense he was chasing after Changkyun seconds ago.

“I usually do” Kihyun answered. “I had to go buy some stuff to build one of my models” he explained and the black haired understood perfectly. “Were you at school? I seriously hated those long days when I was young like you” he confessed and Changkyun giggled.

“You are not that old, hyung” they both chuckled at those words.

“I know, you just seem younger because you are still at school and you act so innocently” Kihyun stared at the floor, not making eye contact to say that. “Hey, by the way, what are you listening to?” he asked and Changkyun’s heart sped up. He knew Kihyun would laugh at him if he knew he liked soft music, so he decided to lie.

“Hard rock” he was satisfied with his reply until Kihyun took one of his earphones off his ear and put it on himself.

“You liar!” the purple haired said, and then started dancing - in an extremely funny way - at the rhythm of the music. “You are a soft bastard, aren’t you?” Kihyun shook his head in disbelief. “Don’t you feel suicidal after listening to this?” he asked and Changkyun laughed. At least the elder wasn’t making fun of him in the way he thought he would. The black haired shook his head in response, going even closer to Kihyun because the wire was getting tense and their earphones were threatening to come off their ears. “It’s nice, tho” the elder trailed off. “It’s kind of relaxing” he smiled toothlessly. “Do you want to listen to mine?” Kihyun excitedly asked and Changkyun nodded with a huge grin resting on his features.

But they were both distracted and didn’t hear someone coming. Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on Changkyun’s nape and he almost fell face first to the floor. It was clearly Hoseok, and he made Changkyun’s power activate with that slap. Before he could even react, his backpack burst and his books flew all over the grass. “Oh my God! I’m sorry! I forgot about our powers!” Hoseok shouted, quickly holding Changkyun by his shoulders while caressing his head softly. “Does it hurt? I could have killed you!” he was panicking big time and Kihyun started laughing.

“Hyung, it’s fine” the younger assured, even though he was dying of pain and trying his best not to whine like a little baby. “Can you hit Kihyun-hyung next time so nothing explodes? My mom will murder me when she finds out I broke my backpack” he sighed, picking up his books one by one. Some of the pages fell off of them but his pencil case survived - thankfully -.

“If you dare slapping me, you’ll end up dead” Kihyun whispered in Hoseok’s ear, but Changkyun heard him and laughed. “Let me help” he added, picking some things up and handing them to the youngest of the three. The only problem was that he didn’t have where to put his things. He had to walk with everything pressed to his chest until they reached the locker room.

The three of them thought the place was empty but then they heard it: Minhyuk’s moans. They seemed to be hiding behind the lockers, where the ‘changing room’ was - a narrow space in between the wall and the back of the lockers -. Hoseok scrunched his nose and Kihyun rolled his eyes, having the strong wish to punch the couple. Changkyun didn’t know what to do, he didn’t want the purple haired to worry about him as he always did. So, before he could say anything, he left his things silently in his locker and dragged Kihyun to the corridor by his wrist. “Let’s go get some snacks, I’m hungry!” he yelled, making Hoseok follow.

“Wait” Kihyun suddenly stopped. “That isn’t Jooheon’s voice” the purple haired’s eyes widened. “Minhyuk’s fucking Son Hyunwoo!” he giggled. “Jooheon will be so damn pissed” he added and Hoseok laughed. “I don’t really get their relationship” Kihyun commented. “Jooheon should accept he’s gay and ask Minhyuk to be his boyfriend, don’t you think?”

“Are you talking about me?” Jooheon suddenly appeared and they shut up. Instead of answering, Hoseok grabbed the other two’s wrists and dragged them to the vending machine, ignoring Jooheon completely. Changkyun wanted to laugh, but he felt bad for him at the same time. They just left the scene as if nothing happened and Jooheon would find out about Minhyuk and Hyunwoo in the worst way possible.

“Let’s pretend we didn’t see anything” Kihyun whispered as Hoseok started punching the vending machine - controlling his strength not to break it -.

“Well, we didn’t _see_ anything... technically” Changkyun trailed off and the purple haired turned to look at him.

“Damn, you’re smart” the purple haired couldn’t believe it. “Why do I always underestimate you?” he asked and Changkyun chuckled. Hoseok was still punching the machine so the younger took one bill from his uniform’s jacket and handed it to him.

“Oh! Thanks” the elder giggled, finally getting a bag of onion flavored snacks. “Want some?” he asked and Kihyun grabbed a handful. Changkyun shook his head because he wasn’t truly hungry, he just wanted to guide them away from the moaning couple. “Do you ever eat?” Hoseok frowned.

“Yes, I eat well” Changkyun smiled.

“You don’t seem to” Hoseok’s mouth was overflowing with food as he spoke, and Hollie arrived just in time to slap his jaw and make him chew properly.

“Manners, Hoseok-oppa” she said, standing in between Hoseok and Changkyun. Lucy was walking slower so she took longer to reach their spot. Hyungwon was the last one to get there and he told them he had heard Jooheon and Minhyuk arguing in the locker room after Son Hyunwoo left sneakily.

Minutes later, after doing nothing more than eating snacks and sitting on the floor by the vending machine, Jongwoon found them. Their probation worker raised a brow and stared at their outfits as if he wanted to burn them. “Why haven’t you changed yet? Are you waiting for hell to freeze over?” he asked and they all stood up, rolling their eyes as they left. Jongwoon shook his head in disapproval and followed them through the corridor. “Hurry up because you have lots to do” he stated and went to his office to do some things while the others changed.

No one said anything but they were all hoping Jooheon and Minhyuk weren’t fighting any longer. The six of them peeked through the door and sighed in relieve when they found the couple sitting on the benches with their arms crossed. Minhyuk was at one end of the room and Jooheon was at the other, but at least they weren’t arguing. Son Hyunwoo was gone and Changkyun wondered what had happened. Had Jooheon punched him? Had Minhyuk kicked him out? He would never know. The black haired just walked to his locker in silence and started changing into the orange jumpsuit - which he managed to remove the blue paint from -.

When they were all ready, Jongwoon dragged them outside. He started his minivan and ordered them to hop on. Changkyun didn’t like that. He knew it would be a tough afternoon because they’d never gone somewhere else before. Jongwoon turned the music on and a lullaby could be heard. It was funny considering their probation worker looked as if he was a metalhead. He wore black t-shirts with strange prints on - the one he had at that moment had a skull -, and he also had black ripped jeans and he wore eyeliner. “I’ll use my power on him” Kihyun whispered and tried his best to control the man and make him return to the community centre. Watching the purple haired move his hands around the air and becoming red like a tomato was funny, but he got frustrated and nothing happened. “I hate this shitty power” he growled.

“Hyungwon, make him sleep” Hoseok suggested though everyone shut him up and Kihyun slapped his nape.

“Don’t you see we’ll crash if he falls asleep?” Lucy said. “He’s driving, oppa” she added and Hoseok gasped.

“You are right! I didn’t think about it” he admitted and made some of them laugh. Minhyuk muttered ‘dummy’ under his breath and they stayed in silence, thinking about a plan to do. “Changkyun-ah, make the wheels explode!” Hoseok exclaimed, excited.

“I cannot control it, hyung. I’m sorry” he sighed and looked down at his lap in frustration. He hated his power, it was useless and it made him suffer. He was about to lift his gaze when Kihyun’s arm flew above his head and slapped Hoseok’s hand away. He had the idea of hitting Changkyun so the wheels burst, but they didn’t know for sure. Hoseok wasn’t thinking his strategies well and the younger was starting to get scared. What if he did something out of impulse and they ended up dead?

“Hoseok-hyung! Stop it! What if the whole van explodes?” the purple haired scolded the elder and he gasped in surprise once more.

“You are right!” Hoseok said.

“Hey, what the fuck are you doing?” Jongwoon shouted from the driver’s seat and they all shut up, not replying to his question. The rest of the trip, they were in silence, mentally insulting their powers. Why were they so useless? One of Hollie’s and Lucy’s students could move objects with her mind, one of the grocery shop owners could throw fire, a kid could walk through walls and solid objects, and there they were stuck with things they couldn’t control. Minhyuk shone in the darkness... that wasn’t a special ability, that was terrible.

Not long after, Jongwoon stopped by an animal shelter and Changkyun’s eyes widened. He stared at the little and big dogs, at the cute cats and at those colorful birds they had. He loved animals and he didn’t think it was bad their probation worker took them somewhere else. “Get out” he ordered and they all complied. “Have fun” he smirked evilly and left them alone. They stared at the shelter, not knowing what to do until a woman came out, greeting them with a smile.

“Good afternoon” she said, motioning for them to follow her. “Come in, please” she added and guided them to the huge place. It had a roofed part and an enormous yard for animals to run freely around. She separated the animals so they didn’t fight but they had enough space to do as they pleased, even birds. “Jongwoon told me you love working and I’m glad you could come because I need all the help I can get” she was talkative and they listened to her while they walked around the place. “People come every day to bring me food, toys and blankets but I’m happy I’ll have someone cleaning up for me today” she smiled and they looked at each other, trying their best not to whine in front of a stranger who seemed to believe they were angels from heaven. “Come. I’ll show you what you have to do” she guided them to a storage room full of cleaning tools and handed one each.

When she finished explaining, they went to the yard and started cleaning. Hollie was dying because she couldn’t take the smell. She’d almost vomited at some point and had to get away from there for a while. Hoseok seemed worried, she glanced at her a little too much and Lucy was happy about it. Hyungwon and Changkyun were similar, they weren’t strong. The others were just paying attention to the cute dogs that were locked inside for them to work comfortably. Changkyun was sad he didn’t get to touch them or play with them, and Kihyun seemed to be feeling just like him. “I want to touch the cute puppies” the purple haired pretended to cry. “Look at their faces” he pointed at the window and Changkyun saw them curiously glancing at them and running from one side to the other.

“I want to play with them” the younger pouted, picking up more poop with his plastic shovel to then place it in a garbage bag.

“Hey-” Hyungwon called but paused to gag. “Sorry” he covered his nose. “Come to the nightclub on Saturday” he insisted. “Please” he made the others roll their eyes. “It will be the best party ever” he said. “We’ll have a foam machine!” he announced in excitement, but they all glared at him. Hyungwon gagged once again because he had let go of his nose and Kihyun chuckled, making fun of him. “You are no fun- awk”

“Hyungwon-hyung, go there for a second” Jooheon suggested so the tall one stopped gagging. “We’ll go to your party” he decided for everyone and they all turned to look at him. “What? It will be fun” Jooheon said, sticking his tongue out at Minhyuk. “Let’s have some action” he added and they all sighed.

“You just want revenge” Kihyun shook his head in disapproval. “If you are so angry at this blond hoe, why don’t you ask him out properly and stop whining?” he asked and the other five widened their eyes. Jooheon’s face transformed, showing his anger. Minhyuk, on the other hand, seemed to be on Kihyun’s side.

“You heard him!” the blond yelled but Jooheon just turned around and worked in silence, ignoring the rest of the group. “I’m so done with this” Minhyuk sighed. “We’ll go, Hyungwon-ah” he said. “But this is the last time, okay?” Hyungwon’s smile was brighter than ever and he finally returned - even if he had to step aside again after a few minutes of suffering -.


	7. Of Drugs and Reversed Powers

_Changkyun-ah, do you want to come here and go to the nightclub with me?_

_If Wonwoo doesn’t like you to go to his house only to change clothes..._

Kihyun texted, feeling a little insecure about sending the message. Before he could make a decision, he erased it and sighed. He typed something different though he didn’t like how it sounded either. The purple haired let out a longer sigh and rested his head on the table. It was Saturday morning and Jihoon was making breakfast while he did nothing. Kihyun had been thinking a lot about Changkyun those days and he wondered why. The younger was charming and funny. The purple haired couldn’t keep his gayness inside anymore and he believed his heart beating faster every time he saw Changkyun meant something. _‘I like him’_ he repeated mentally as his face turned a deep shade of red.

“Send the message, for God’s sake” Jihoon told him while taking the two plates to the table, together with cups of coffee. “You’ve been sighing since you woke up” the short man said, sitting in front of him to start eating. “Who is it, anyway? You seem to like him a lot, you usually just tell guys you like them” his roommate was right, he was usually very confident but he didn’t even know if Changkyun was gay. He was young, maybe he hadn’t even thought about it. Maybe he hadn’t even kissed anyone yet. _‘Well, I’m not much of an expert in relationships myself’_ the purple haired thought. _‘But I discovered it when I was 15...’_ he told himself but then he realized that everyone had a different way of finding out. Maybe Changkyun was a late boomer regarding sexuality... or maybe he wasn’t even gay.

“I don’t know if I should send it... it would be awkward” Kihyun replied. “He’s Changkyun. The one from community service I told you about” he confessed and Jihoon gasped, remembering perfectly.

“Invite him over. Weren’t you telling me the other day that his parents didn’t let him go out and you had to wait with him in a coffee shop until morning because he lied about staying at his best friend’s house?” that was a damn long question, but Kihyun gave him the shortest answer and nodded. “It won’t be awkward, you’ve been chatting a lot lately” Jihoon assured and the purple haired felt more confident. Why was he acting weak? He wasn’t like that, it wasn’t his personality. Kihyun picked his phone up for the thousand time that morning but, before he could write to Changkyun, he received a message.

_Hyung! How are you?_

_I’m sorry to bother you but... would you mind if I stayed at your place tonight?_

_Wonwoo won’t be home and I don’t know where to stay..._

_I hope I’m not being bold_

Kihyun read it, incredulous. He didn’t know if those messages were real so he showed Jihoon his screen and finally realized they were. Changkyun send him texts first, he couldn’t believe it. The purple haired grinned and got ready to reply. He didn’t have to sound excited, so he tried his best not to show it.

_Hi, Changkyun-ah! I’m fine, you?_

_Yeah, sure_

_I suggested it last time, didn’t I?_

He pressed the button and sent it, feeling better. He had been worrying the whole morning and it was good he could relax.

_Yes, but I wanted to ask anyway..._

_It would have been rude of me to just follow you around after the party haha_

Kihyun chuckled, thinking the younger was adorable.

_Yeah haha_

_You are totally right_

_I’ll get the couch ready for you_

_You are the best, hyung!_

_How can I pay you?_

_Mm..._

_Make Hyungwon’s joint explode_

_You are a bad person, Kihyun-hyung..._

_Just kidding_

_I’d do it if I could control this useless power xD_

_Hahaha_

_You are as mean as me_

_But, seriously, you don’t need to pay me_

_You can stay any time you want_

_:)_

_Thank you!_

_Oh, I have to leave... my brother is in my room -.-_

_See you tonight!_

_See you!_

“I see he didn’t get awkward” Jihoon said, taking a sip from his cup of coffee.

“Nope” Kihyun smiled toothlessly. “You were right, he didn’t”

Later that day, while Kihyun was getting ready, the doorbell echoed around the apartment. The purple haired knew it was Changkyun and he got a bit nervous when Jihoon opened the door for him. He was wondering what the younger would think of his roommate and his home, but his doubts were gone once the newcomer reached the bathroom. “He’s here” Jihoon said and Kihyun saw Changkyun’s face peeking through the door frame. He looked very nice, even though he wasn’t ready for the nightclub yet. He was wearing no makeup, no fancy clothes, and he hadn’t his hair styled yet. Kihyun couldn’t help to stare at him, he was so good looking. He hadn’t seen it the time they met because he was too busy judging the ‘kid’. But he could appreciate his beauty at that moment.

“Hi, hyung! Thanks for letting me stay” he smiled and Kihyun’s heart sped up like every single time Changkyun did so. “Can... can I change clothes in your room or...?” he asked and the elder nodded, quickly guiding him to his bedroom.

“Here we are, ignore the mess” Kihyun said and Changkyun laughed, though then realized the other was being serious and frowned.

“Really? This is so organized!” the black haired made him chuckle with his comment, his confused face was cute. “Look, I brought this” he took his fancy clothes out of his backpack and placed them on the bed. “Do you think it’s okay?” he asked and Kihyun nodded.

“You are a fancy boy” the purple haired patted Changkyun’s back and walked in the door’s direction. When he turned around to close the door, he saw a glimpse of the younger’s soft skin. His jacket and sweater were on the bed and he was already taking his t-shirt off. Kihyun thought he would wait until he left, but Changkyun didn’t seem to mind changing in front of him and he knew why. They changed in front of each other every afternoon at the community centre, though Kihyun never paid enough attention to him. The latter looked away every time men took their clothes off because he wasn’t like Lucy and Hollie. The two girls couldn’t take their eyes off Hoseok.

“Um...” Kihyun said, making Changkyun stop before he unbuttoned his jeans. The black haired stared at him in confusion and wondered what the elder wanted. “I haven’t closed the door yet” he muttered and Changkyun frowned to then grab his shirt to cover his skinny torso.

“I’m sorry! I forgot Jihoon-hyung was here too” he apologized and Kihyun chuckled. “I’m just used to this because we change in front of each other every day” he added and the elder told him it was fine.

“Come out when you are ready, I’ll wait for you in the living room” Kihyun said and left, heading to his living room, in which his roommate was watching some series on Netflix. It was still early and Jihoon was having dinner - instant ramen - on the couch. The purple haired thought about it for a second and realized he hadn’t had dinner yet. Maybe they could grab a snack before heading to the nightclub. Hyungwon would be waiting for them just like the previous time and they needed to be there as soon as possible.

Minutes later, when Kihyun was already distracted by the series, Changkyun walked slowly into the living room, trying not to make noise. The elders didn’t realize he was there until he cleared his throat awkwardly and made them turn around. “Oh!” Kihyun exclaimed. “You are ready!” he added and stood up, admiring Changkyun’s outfit. “You look good” he complimented and the younger smiled.

“Thanks” he murmured. “You look very nice too, hyung” he told the purple haired, making his heart speed up.

“Shall we leave? Hyungwon will murder us if we get there when he’s already DJing” Kihyun said and Changkyun nodded, greeting Jihoon before they went out of the apartment. As they walked in silence through the corridors of his building, Kihyun tried not to think too much about the fact that his companion would stay at his apartment later. He had invited Changkyun weeks earlier, he didn’t like him back then.

“Hey, hyung, are you hungry? I haven’t eaten anything since lunch and I was wondering if you’d like to-

“I was thinking the same thing!” Kihyun interrupted his words. “Let’s go to the nearest grocery store” he said and dragged Changkyun to it. The place was full of people but they didn’t take long to buy two cups of instant tteokbokki. “Mm...” Kihyun hummed. “I was craving for this” he added and Changkyun chuckled.

“Yeah, me too” the younger ate a spicy tteok and his mouth started burning. Kihyun laughed at how he scrunched his whole face to then breathe through his mouth, trying to make the spiciness fade.

“I’ve never seen you eating before” the elder pointed out and Changkyun turned to look at him. “Hoseok-hyung was right when he said you never eat” they both giggled at those words.

“I swear I eat” the black haired assured. “You never see me because I do it before our community service” he explained and Kihyun nodded. “How was your day, hyung?” Changkyun asked after minutes of silence. They were too busy eating and didn’t feel uncomfortable while being together. But Kihyun wanted to talk to him and was glad the other came up with something.

“It was quiet. Jihoon and me spent the whole afternoon studying for our exams” the elder replied, eating some more in between his words. “What about you?” the purple haired turned to look at his companion and found him struggling with the spicy food once again. “Why did you buy the spicy one? Dummy” Kihyun chuckled, slapping Changkyun’s nape and making him whine.

“I like it! But I also suffer” he said and they both laughed. “As for my day, it was boring” Changkyun confessed. “I pretended to study but I cannot do it anymore. I just lied on my bed doing nothing for hours and then helped my mom clean some things” he stated while following Kihyun to the bus stop.

“Boring indeed” the purple haired answered and they waited for their bus to arrive. Once they were done, they threw their cups to the garbage can and stood there side by side. “Why didn’t you just play video games like the other time?” Kihyun asked when he remembered one of their previous conversations.

“My mom discovered me and took my games away” he sighed and the elder felt sorry for him. “She gave them to my brother and told me how disappointed she was...” Changkyun paused and Kihyun saw a tiny smile forming at the corners of his mouth. “As he was taking the console to my brother’s bedroom two games ‘mysteriously’ exploded in her hand” he laughed evilly and the purple haired got surprised.

“Well, you have an evil part after all” Kihyun joked and Changkyun giggled.

“I do” he admitted. “But I show it only when I’m comfortable enough with someone” he explained, making the elder grin widely. That meant Changkyun felt comfortable around him and it meant a lot. “This will sound stupid, probably” the younger said. “But I think you are the person I feel most comfortable with” he flashed Kihyun a toothless smile and the latter could feel his heart hammering in his chest.

“Of course, I’m fabulous” the purple haired joked, not wanting to let the other know he was nervous. Changkyun laughed and shook his head. He was used to Kihyun bragging about himself. “I feel very comfortable around you too” he said, showing pure confidence, even if he was dying inside. The younger grinned in response and they both stopped their bus together when it arrived.

Seoul was full of people at that hour, Saturdays were always crowded. Kihyun didn’t like that, he preferred silence and tranquility. That was one of the reasons he hated Minhyuk for accepting Hyungwon’s invitation. The tall one was a good DJ, he had to admit it, but he couldn’t stand crowds, loud music and smoke. _‘Damn Hyungwon’_ he cursed in his mind while riding the bus. Changkyun was standing beside him though he couldn’t look at him. They were too close so he decided it would be good to think about something else. Kihyun just sneaked a few glances at him when he made sure the younger was distracted, and turned around when the other looked in his direction. It was stupid, the purple haired knew. But he didn’t feel as brave as always. Changkyun was younger than him - something unusual when it came to like someone - and Kihyun had no clue whether he was gay or not.

“Hyung, we are here” the younger announced, ringing the bell so the driver stopped. Kihyun nodded and they both got out of the bus. The nightclub wasn’t far from there and they reached the backdoor in no time. They didn’t meet the others until they got there and Kihyun was surprised to find out they were the last ones.

“You’re late!” Minhyuk shouted. “What were you doing?” he asked and Kihyun rolled his eyes, ignoring him completely. Changkyun, on the other hand, couldn’t help replying.

“We were buying food because we were hungry” he explained and the others understood.

“Speaking of hungry, I’m dying of hunger!” Lucy yelled. “Did you bring anything, Hoseok-oppa?” she asked and the muscled one nodded with a smile, handing the girl a bag of potato chips. “Thank you! You are the best” she glanced at Hollie right after, watching her reaction as she usually did. The eldest sister rolled her eyes and ignored her. Hyungwon was letting them in already and she managed to pretend she didn’t hear anything. The nightclub was different this time. It was bigger and there were a lot more people waiting outside to enter. Hyungwon seemed nervous and, as he showed them around, his hands were shaking a little. Kihyun noticed it when he pointed at his CDJ, his index finger moved like crazy.

“So? What do you think?” Hyungwon asked, smiling proudly. “It’s my first time working here... I hope I do well” he took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

“You’ll surely suck” Lucy said, sticking her tongue out at the tall man, who whined in annoyance. Kihyun, Hoseok, Hollie and Minhyuk laughed at that, and they all hi fived Lucy. They loved making fun of each other.

“You’ll do well, Hyungwon-hyung! You did amazingly good last time” Changkyun complimented, making Lucy and Kihyun roll their eyes.

“Stop kissing his ass and tell him the truth” Minhyuk slapped the younger’s head, earning a growl from him as one of the lights on the roof exploded. “Ups” the blonde covered his mouth. “I always forget about your power” he confessed, chuckling slightly. Minhyuk shone in the dark, but he did it sometimes and he didn’t destroy anything. Kihyun was aware of how much Changkyun hated his ability, and he wanted to tell Minhyuk not to bother him. But he couldn’t, that would be too obvious. _‘Wait... Am I not being too obvious already?’_ he thought, brushing his chin with his index finger.

“How about we go to the bar and ask for some drinks?” Jooheon suggested. “It’s still early and Hyungwon-hyung won’t be DJing until the place is crowded with people” he added and the other 7 followed him to the bar. Changkyun wasn’t panning to drink anything else than coke and Kihyun didn’t know if he should get alcohol into his system. He wanted to leave early since he couldn’t take nightclubs, and alcohol would make him believe he was having fun when he clearly wasn’t. “8 beers” Jooheon yelled for the bartender to hear him though then remembered Changkyun was there. “I mean, 7 beers and a coke” he smiled at the man and the others gave him money to pay for the drinks.

Lucy had the bag of chips in her hands and Hoseok was devouring them with her, but it was almost empty. To their surprise, Hoseok took another one out of his fanny pack - yeah, he was really wearing one on top of his purple and black sweater - and handed it to Lucy. “How many snacks do you have in there, strong man?” Minhyuk asked in disbelief.

“Just three” Hoseok replied and they all laughed. “What? I get hungry easily” he raised his shoulders and grabbed one potato chip from the bag in between Lucy’s arms. When the beers came, Hollie had to hold her sister’s because her free hand was full of salt from the potatoes. Before they could take a sip from their glasses, Hyungwon took something out of his pocket that looked like candy, but Kihyun was sure those were ecstasy pills.

“No, Chae Hyungwon” the purple haired shouted, not even letting Hyungwon open his mouth to say something. “If you want to take drugs, do it. We are not consuming ecstasy” he said and the others glared at the gray haired man.

“These are not ecstasy, hyung” Hyungwon denied. “These are marijuana pills! My roommate gave them to me” he smiled like a kid with a new toy. “They won’t do much. Come on, try them with me!” he excitedly said, trying his best to convince them. Of course he wasn’t successful, no one in the group consumed drugs. Maybe just cigarettes and alcohol - some of them - though nothing else. “Fine... you are no fun” Hyungwon sighed and turn around to drink some of his beer.

After a while, when the place started filling with people, Minhyuk decided to take a picture of the group. They weren’t fond of selcas - except for Minhyuk and Hoseok -, but they did it anyway, leaving their glasses of beer on the bar for a few seconds. Hyungwon stood behind them due to his height and Kihyun had to scold him because he was taking too long. He only needed to place the glass on the wooden surface, nothing difficult. But he seemed useless in the purple one’s eyes, so he got why he took long. He must have been looking for the right spot to put it not to mistake it with the others, that asshole. Once he was ready, Minhyuk shouted ‘kimchi’ and took the picture. Most of them made derp faces and the blond had to take another one. Then they grabbed their beers and kept on drinking.

The lights started to dim after a while and Kihyun felt strange. More and more people arrived, making the purple haired dizzy. He hated crowded spaces and he needed some air. He breathed heavily, loosing the neck of his black stripped shirt a little. He didn’t know what was happening, his heart was speeding up and he suddenly felt energetic, as if he wanted to dance around. Kihyun looked around and saw his group chatting and laughing a lot, something unusual. He didn’t care though, he felt strange but good at the same time and he didn’t know what came into him when he grabbed Changkyun’s wrist and dragged him to the dance floor.

“Let’s dance!” Kihyun yelled, showing his best moves to his companion. The younger danced along with him but the purple haired could see drops of sweat sliding through his forehead and down to his cheeks. “Are you hot?” he asked and Changkyun nodded, trying his best to throw air at his face with both hands. “Come here” the elder told him and took his rubber bracelet to tie the black strands of hair in a cute pony tail. “Better?” he said, not realizing how loud he was screaming as he spoke. Kihyun now felt his energy traveling through his whole body and he couldn’t stop his exaggerated reactions. His moves never stopped while he stared at Changkyun and the colorful lights were making everything around him look beautiful, the younger boy included. _‘So handsome’_ he thought as he checked him out. The pony tail was a bad idea because he looked even hotter that way - in Kihyun’s eyes -.

“Yes, a little” Changkyun yelled back, drying his sweat with his sleeve. When Kihyun turned to his side - finally being able to stop drooling at the sight of the black haired - he noticed the rest were there, dancing with them as well. They had a lot of energy too and Kihyun wondered what was all that. Even Lucy seemed awake and she was laughing so hard she could fall to the ground any moment. Minhyuk was already trying to get himself a hot man but Kihyun blinked twice at what he saw. The blond wasn’t shining in the dark place, he was sinking into the dark instead. He was less and less visible every second that passed. He was about to say something but Changkyun tripped and almost fell on top of him. At that moment, the purple haired got distracted and laughed along with the boy standing in front of him. “I’m sorry, hyung!” the younger giggled. “I’m so clumsy” he added.

“Guys, guys!” Hollie patted everyone’s shoulders except for Hoseok’s. “Look at Hoseok-oppa’s body, don’t you love it? Because I do” she shouted. “I pretend not to, but I’d surely tap that” she winked at Hoseok but the latter seemed dazed. Hollie touched his muscled arm and he unexpectedly whined in pain.

“Hey, I’ll go sit down for a minute, I feel my legs shaking” Hoseok announced and Hollie followed him, making sure he was okay. She was talking a lot, saying what she thought and Kihyun frowned in confusion. Hollie was usually very quiet. The purple haired blinked harder in an attempt to get everything back to normal, though it wasn’t working. Minhyuk was nowhere to be seen, Hoseok was feeling weak, everyone was laughing like crazy and yelling and doing things they wouldn’t usually do. Kihyun frowned, but he didn’t figure anything out and decided to ignore his suspicions and finally dance along with Changkyun. He was there, just in front of him, looking hot in his tight jeans and his pony tail. Kihyun couldn’t let the sight go away. He made sure he was doing his best dance moves to impress him and he forgot how weird he felt.

Hyungwon prepared everything, ready to work. His head was spinning and he thought Ilhoon’s pills were awesome. He didn’t know marijuana could make him feel so good. He was sure that one would be the best night. His DJing skills would be multiplied with all the energy he had. He wouldn’t stop till dawn. _‘I love my job’_ he giggled as he touched some buttons on the CDJ, ready to start. Hyungwon searched for his friends around the dance floor and saw Kihyun dancing with Changkyun. He laughed at their moves - specially Kihyun’s -, but when he tried to find the others, he didn’t see Minhyuk around. _‘Did he leave?’_ he asked himself, craning his neck to take a better look at his surroundings. Hollie and Hoseok were sitting on one of the couches, Jooheon was alone by the bar doing nothing, and Lucy was running around the place, dancing to the music as well. _‘Lucy is running...’_ he thought and frowned. Everything was strange, but it was probably the pills.

Hyungwon decided to ignore his friends’ crazy acting and play some of his awesome mixes. He was too high to care and the music was very contagious. As he played his favorite songs, he felt his body moving. The rhythm made him feel alive, though it didn’t last long. At one point of the night, he pressed a button and thought he would make everyone sleep as it happened before. He tried his best to stop his power from working but he couldn’t. Waves which could be seen only by him traveled through the closed space and he was expecting everyone to fall to the ground except for Lucy. But it didn’t happen. People got more energy and, before he could ask himself what was happening, he fell asleep.

“Guys! Can’t you see me?!” Changkyun turned to his side in confusion as he heard Minhyuk’s voice calling them. The black haired had been dancing with Kihyun since they had finished their drinks and Minhyuk mysteriously vanished. The younger looked around, trying to find him, but it was hard when he was feeling so weird. His head was spinning, he was sweaty and the colorful lights made him see strange things from time to time. Changkyun had decided to focus on Kihyun to keep his mind busy with something, and it was working a little - just a little. The purple haired seemed to be in the same state. He was dancing to the music and holding Changkyun’s wrists not to let him go. The younger stared at him and laughed every time he did something funny. He had to admit Kihyun had surprised him. He seemed totally different the moment they met. Back then, he only thought he was handsome and scary, but he knew he was wrong about the ‘scary’ part now.

“Hyung, I’m thirsty” Changkyun yelled, making his companion stop. Kihyun nodded and took him to the bar. He kept on dancing as he ordered coke, but the younger told him he preferred water instead.

“Just water?” Kihyun frowned in confusion.

“Yes, please” Changkyun used his hand as a fan and started throwing air to his face. “Hyung, I don’t feel so good... can we go outside for a minute?” he asked as water was being poured and Kihyun nodded with a smile. The bartender handed him the glass but when he reached for it, he failed and it fell to the floor. Changkyun widened his eyes in surprise and started to apologize. However, the glass fixed itself and flew back to the bar, causing the black haired a huge confusion. Was he drunk or something?

“Whoa!” Kihyun excitedly shouted, making him realize he wasn’t the only one who saw a glass magically fix itself. “Amazing!” the elder grinned at him.

“How did you do that?” the bartender said, staring at him with his jaw dropping.

“I- I didn’t do anything” Changkyun assured, touching the glass to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. The man in front of him was startled, so the black haired took the drink and dragged Kihyun to the small yard the place had. It was just a square with some tables around. No grass, no plants; just a cement space. Changkyun sat on one of the chairs, leaving the glass on the table to then massage his temple with his fingers. Kihyun caressed his back with his hand and stared at his face.

“You look nice” the purple haired said and Changkyun looked into his eyes. The elder was smiling at him, his eyes were like two crescent moons and his white teeth were showing. “You should tie your hair more often and let everyone see your handsome face” he added and Changkyun chuckled. “Are you feeling bad?” Kihyun asked and the younger nodded, supporting his head in his hand. “Was it you who fixed the glass?” the purple haired questioned, but Changkyun wasn’t sure. Nothing seemed real at that moment, so it was hard to tell.

“I don’t know, hyung” the younger replied and Kihyun suddenly pushed the glass, making it fall and brake once more. Changkyun felt weird again, and the glass fixed itself, landing back on the table. The two of them stared into each other’s wide eyes, not believing what just happened. “It was me!” Changkyun exclaimed. “But... how?” he frowned. “Things explode around me” he said and Kihyun raised his shoulders.

“Guys!! I’m here! Can’t you see me?” the two of them turned around at the sound of Minhyuk’s voice calling. “Hey! Here, dumbass” someone slapped Changkyun’s nape, but he couldn’t see anyone. Kihyun tried to reach for Minhyuk and the black haired finally saw him. It was as if he was standing in a completely dark room; as if all the light had been taken away from his body.

“Minhyuk-hyung! You look... dark” Changkyun said, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

“What the fuck is happening?” the blond told them.

“We don’t know. Changkyun fixed a glass seconds ago” Kihyun giggled. “It was amazing” he added, grinning at the younger.

“What? That’s not possible” Minhyuk laughed. “Oh my God! Guys, I know!” he yelled, jumping like a crazy person out of excitement. “Our powers have been reversed!” he made the other two laugh with those words. “Think about it: you fixed something, I’m dark, Hyungwon suddenly fainted and everyone in the club seemed more energetic, Hoseok is feeling extremely weak, Hollie is saying everything she thinks and Lucy is running around because she hasn’t touched anyone yet, but I’m sure she would fall asleep if she did” Minhyuk explained and it all made sense to Changkyun. “Let me show you one more proof” he added and looked at Kihyun. “Go and buy me a drink, Kihyun” he ordered and the purple haired went inside with no hesitation. “See?” he asked and Changkyun gasped.

“You are right!” the black haired couldn’t believe it. “But, how?”

“I don’t really know... I thought it was the beer, but then I remembered you drank coke” Minhyuk rubbed his chin.

“Do you think Hyungwon-hyung...” he paused and they both frowned.

“He couldn’t have... right?” Minhyuk sighed, slapping Kihyun’s head when he came back with his drink and started looking around, trying to find him. The blond was still dark, and since they were all dizzy, Kihyun failed to see him.

“I’m sorry! It’s hard for me to find you while being in the shadows” the purple haired chuckled and made Minhyuk roll his eyes. “I gotta tell you... your spark isn’t there anymore” he joked and Changkyun laughed along with him.

“Oh, shut up, you whore” the blond growled, but smiled as soon as Kihyun’s mouth closed. “I can control you now, so I suggest you don’t mock me” Minhyuk threatened and the purple haired narrowed his eyes.

“I’ll do whatever I want” he said, stepping closer to the blond in a challenging manner. Changkyun whined and stood in between the other two, making them part.

“Stop it” he commanded, and Kihyun immediately backed off. “We should do something” he proposed, even if his head was still spinning and drops of sweat fell through his cheeks and neck.

“Yes, we should!” Minhyuk exclaimed. “I hate being like this, I couldn’t get a single man yet and I’m starting to lose my patience” he complained and Kihyun threw him his nastiest judging glare.

“I don’t want to do anything” the purple haired pouted. “Why don’t we dance and have a good time, Changkyunnie? I feel like dancing with you” he said, circling Changkyun’s shoulders with his arm. “I hate Minhyuk” he added and the blonde sighed.

“Um... I” the younger didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t feeling good, but he couldn’t refuse Kihyun.

“Dance, you bitches. I’ll find a solution myself” Minhyuk told them and stormed out of the yard, heading back into the nightclub.

“Good!” Kihyun grinned. Changkyun smiled back at him and they sat on some steps they found, right next to one of the doors. The purple haired danced while sitting down - making Changkyun laugh a lot -, and they also talked about whatever they came up with. Changkyun eventually forgot how bad he felt and they both recovered slowly as the night went by.

Minhyuk growled, the club was full of gorgeous men but he couldn’t get anyone due to his ‘invisibility’. “I swear I’ll murder Hyungwon if it was him who did it” he said muttered under his breath. He spotted Jooheon by the bar, and remembered how mad he was at him. The other had been treating him terribly the last week, and he hated to fight but he had to understand they were nothing more than fuck buddies. Minhyuk was about to turn around and forget about him, but he noticed how sweaty and pale he was. His facial expression showed how bad he felt, and the blond had to go there and check on him. “Hey” he said, and Jooheon took long to realize he was there.

“Minhyuk-hyung?” he frowned.

“Yes, it’s me” Minhyuk replied. “Come on, let’s go home” he added. “I’ll take care of you” he took his glass, which contained a weird orange drink, from his hand and guided him out of the place without saying another word. He knew it wasn’t good to forgive him that easily, but he was worried. He couldn’t leave the guy he loved behind when he was feeling terrible. As they walked down the streets, his color started coming back and he thought the others would be fine.

Lucy was dancing around, not even aware of the great amount of energy she had. She went from one side to the other, dodging people and laughing. She had never had that much fun at a nightclub before, and she couldn’t figure out what it was. The rhythm was contagious and she thought Hyungwon was doing a wonderful job, though, as she craned her neck to check on him, she saw the DJ spot empty. _‘What the hell?’_ she frowned but raised her shoulders. She didn’t care. Hyungwon was probably taking some of his drugs to keep himself awake.

After staying there for a few minutes, thinking, she decided to go ask for some water. She was thirsty and she didn’t like alcohol that much. She stood there by the bar and told the bartender she needed water. While she was waiting for it, she saw Hollie and Hoseok sitting on one of the couches. The scene wouldn’t have caused her anything if it wasn’t for the heavy make out session the other two were having. “I’ll never let this go” Lucy said out loud. “Never!” she shouted, raising her arm in the air.

“Here’s the water” the man said, shaking his head at the girl’s behavior.

“Thanks” Lucy replied and drank the whole glass in one go. “Whoa, I was very thirsty” she got surprised. She didn’t usually drink that much water, but she asked for another glass. The woman stayed there, sitting on one of those iron stools while staring at Hoseok and Hollie. Lucy didn’t know what the beers they drank before had, but she was glad her sister finally admitted he liked Hoseok. “I mean, who wouldn’t like that hot man?” the girl asked herself and the bartender glanced at her in confusion. “I’m talking to myself, dude” she told him, rolling her eyes. “By the way, can I have another one?” she asked and the bartender complied.

Kihyun and Changkyun walked side by side through the empty streets. After hours of chatting and doing nothing at the nightclub, they greeted the others - the ones who remained there - and left. They were going back to normal. The purple haired’s excitement was fading and Changkyun’s sweating had stopped not long ago. Even his skin color looked less pale in Kihyun’s opinion, and he was glad. “Hey” the elder called. “Shall we buy another tteokbokki cup? I’m very hungry right now” he proposed and Changkyun nodded.

“I’m hungry too” he smiled toothlessly. On their way to Kihyun’s apartment, they stopped to buy their food. It was early but the convenience store was open 24 hours. They ate while walking and, by the time they finally arrived at their destination, they were finished. The place was dark and Kihyun could hear Jihoon’s snores. The two of them tiptoed to the purple haired’s room and started changing into their pajamas. Kihyun tried his best not to look at Changkyun, but he caught a glimpse of his cute bellybutton before he managed to put his t-shirt on. How was it that he never saw it before? They changed in front of each other all the time.

When they were ready, they took turns to use the bathroom and then sat on Kihyun’s bed in silence. Changkyun took the pony tail off and combed his messy hair a little. He looked very handsome all disheveled. His eyeliner was gone after his trip to the bathroom but he had bags under his eyes. His pajamas were all crooked, letting one of his shoulders and both collarbones show, and Kihyun was surprised he liked him looking like that.

“Hyung, I’m still feeling a little bad” he touched his forehead and Kihyun got worried for the first time in the entire night. He was too drunk - or maybe high - at the nightclub, and he could only dance and move around like crazy. His energy kept him from realizing the state his companion was in, and as a result he just tied his hair in order to help him. “I’ll sleep if you don’t mind” he added and Kihyun nodded.

“Of course I don’t mind!” the purple haired pointed at his bed. “Sleep here, I can sleep on the couch” he told Changkyun, trying to make sure he felt comfortable.

“It’s okay, I can sleep on the couch” he flashed Kihyun a soft smile.

“Are you sure? I don’t want your back to hurt tomorrow morning... or afternoon” the elder insisted because that was the least he could do.

“I’m sure” Changkyun answered, so there was nothing left to say. Kihyun guided his guest back to the living room and helped him set everything. He hadn’t done it before because of Jihoon. He usually stayed watching series till late, and he didn’t want to interfere by placing some blankets and pillows on the sofa he always sat on. “Thank you” Changkyun whispered not to wake Jihoon up. “Can I have some water?” he asked and Kihyun gave him one of the bottles they kept in the fridge. “Thank you again, hyung” the black haired thanked him and sat on his ‘bed’.

“No problem” Kihyun stated. “Lie down” he commanded and took the bottle away from Changkyun’s hand as soon as he was done drinking. The younger was confused at first, but he did as he was told. The purple haired covered him with the blankets and fixed his pillow, making sure he was comfy. He then sat on the floor next to the younger and touched his hair with his fingers, earning a cute chuckle from him.

“I feel like a baby” Changkyun said, giggling. Kihyun just grinned toothlessly at him, not stopping his gentle ministrations. Silence filled the room after that, and Changkyun’s lids started closing. At first, he fought against it, trying to keep himself awake. But, in the end, he couldn’t take it anymore and fell asleep. His soft snores made Kihyun’s heart melt and he quickly stood up, knowing he was acting like a creep.

When he lied under his sheets, the purple haired thought about the night. It had been strange but he had fun. Spending time with Changkyun was one of his favorite activities lately. He had to admit Minhyuk was right, they had a great time, even if their powers reversed and they all felt weird.

Changkyun opened his eyes to the sound of voices talking that Sunday. He blinked several times in order to get used to the intense light which entered through the living room’s windows. He could recall almost everything from the night before, and he understood why he felt that way. His body was exhausted as if he had run a marathon, and he didn’t feel like doing anything. The black haired closed his lids tightly, turning to face the ceiling to then take both hands to his face. Changkyun stayed like that, unmovable for a few minutes until he felt someone sitting on the couch he was lying on. “Hi” it was Kihyun’s soft voice, and he found the elder’s face when he opened his eyes again. His hair was wet and he had fresh clothes on. He looked very nice. “How are you feeling today?” he asked and Changkyun growled. “No need to answer, I can relate” he chuckled. “I made some lunch in case you are hungry. You can also have a shower if you want to” he grinned and Changkyun did his best to show him a smile too.

“Thank you so much, hyung” the younger whispered, not finding his voice yet. “What happened to us last night? I feel terrible” he frowned and Kihyun sighed.

“Ecstasy” the purple haired startled him with those words. “That fucker, Chae Hyungwon, drugged us” he explained and Changkyun couldn’t believe Minhyuk and him were right. The younger didn’t know how ecstasy worked, he had never heard about the effects and hadn’t seen it until the previous night.

“How do you know it was ecstasy he drugged us with?” the black haired was curious to know more. Kihyun knew a lot of things, and Changkyun felt so ignorant.

“Because I had a friend at school who took it all the time” the elder confessed. “And I knew it immediately. When Hyungwon showed us those colorful pills, I was sure” Kihyun added. “I don’t think he knew what they were, though” he sighed in annoyance. “That dumbass” he said and Changkyun shook his head in disbelief. “I’m punching his face tomorrow” Kihyun lifted his fists and pretended to punch someone, making his companion laugh.

Despite still feeling bad, Changkyun sat up on the couch and greeted Jihoon, who was already eating. He knew he couldn’t just stay there when he was at the purple haired’s place. He decided to get up and take a shower. The younger was craving for it since the night before and he couldn’t say no if Kihyun was offering it like that. “I’ll have that shower” he announced and Kihyun smiled, guiding him through the corridor and giving him a towel for him to dry his body. Changkyun took his clothes with him - he always carried a second outfit with a pair of tight boxers just in case - and thanked the elder. “I promise I’ll leave after lunch, hyung. I don’t want to bother you anymore” he said and the purple haired rolled his eyes.

“You are not bothering me” he assured. “Take your time, I’ll wait for you in the kitchen” he patted Changkyun’s back and left, closing the door behind his back. The younger stared at the white surface for long seconds, thinking about how nice Kihyun was being. Changkyun was never treated that way before and he had to admit he liked it a lot. Having such a good friend was new to him and his heart did something funny when he thought of it.

When he realized he had been just standing there doing nothing, he turned the hot water on and finally cleaned himself. It was so satisfying not to smell like cigarettes and alcohol anymore, and Kihyun’s shampoo left his hair incredibly soft. Once he was ready, he dried himself and got dressed. His fresh clothes were some loose jeans and a black hoodie he wore back home, too comfortable to care whether he looked good or not. Changkyun combed his black locks a little and went to the kitchen. Kihyun was there, waiting for him to have lunch together while Jihoon played games in his laptop. “You are ready! Please, sit” his hyung motioned with his hands for him to sit down and placed a plate of food in front of him. “Enjoy” he smiled and Changkyun chuckled. “What? Why are you laughing?” the purple haired asked in confusion.

“It’s just... you act so much like a mom” the younger replied and Kihyun slapped his nape. “Ouch” Changkyun whined. “It’s not a bad thing, I find it cute” he confessed and thought he saw the elder blushing. Maybe he was imagining things, maybe he still had some ecstasy in his veins. Changkyun tried the food and found out it was curry. He hadn’t tried it before, but it was delicious. “Whoa, hyung, you cook amazingly well” he complimented and Kihyun smiled arrogantly.

“I know, right?” he joked and the younger laughed. After that, they had lunch and Changkyun had to leave once they were done. His mother called him and asked him what he was doing. He had to lie and tell her he had been studying with Wonwoo the whole time, but she insisted he went back home.

“Thank you for everything, hyung” the younger bowed. “Bye, Jihoon-hyung!” he waved his hand and Jihoon waved back from his spot.

“You don’t need to thank me. See you tomorrow” Kihyun said. “We can murder Hyungwon together” he smirked playfully, making the other laugh.

“Sure we can!” Changkyun joked. “See you” he grinned and left the apartment, waving his hand one last time.


	8. Sexual Preference

It was an ordinary Monday for everyone at the community centre. Almost the whole group was there, and they were waiting for the last person to arrive, which happened to be Hyungwon. They all wanted to punch the tall one, even Changkyun, who was against violence. No one could believe he did that on Saturday, he had been so stupid. But at least Hollie managed to say everything she thought about Hoseok. The latter was so happy that afternoon and the girl couldn’t deny she liked him any longer. Her mind had betrayed her at the nightclub and she wasn't pleased when everyone started mocking her in the locker room. Hoseok laughed and pecked her cheek, showing his happiness to the world. They were only dating and trying things, but at least they got somewhere after that awkward kiss they shared weeks ago. Kihyun stared at their intertwined fingers as they sat on one of the benches and thought about holding Changkyun's hand. How would it feel? The purple haired noticed how soft looking his hands were and he wanted to touch them badly.

The previous night had been crazy and, while Changkyun was sleeping on the couch, he remembered some things he said and did. _‘I was so obvious… he surely knows I like him’_ he thought, letting out a long sigh. The purple haired felt embarrassed. He had complimented Changkyun a lot and he had touched his back and hair shamelessly. Hollie and Hoseok reminded him of everything once again, and he palmed his face without intending to. He even stared at him sleeping in the morning, and Jihoon shook his head in disbelief. Kihyun never did anything similar. Why was he doing it now?

“Hey, I'm curious” Lucy said. “Where were you two on Saturday night?” she asked them out of curiosity. Changkyun tuned to look at her in confusion.

“What do you mean? We were at the nightclub with you” the younger replied with a frown.

“But you were gone the whole night” Lucy said, making Kihyun's heart race. “Did you find a quiet place to do dirty stuff like my hoe sister and Hoseok-oppa?” she winked and Changkyun laughed. Hollie slapped her sister’s arm and told her they weren’t doing anything dirty, and Kihyun limited himself to chuckle nervously and try not to show he was awkward. He didn't know why he felt that way, they didn't do anything, but he liked the younger and that lead him to become self conscious.

“What are you saying? We went outside because I was feeling terrible. Kihyun-hyung just took care of me” Changkyun explained. “Even if he was high himself” he added. “Besides, I'm not gay” the black haired said and Kihyun got disappointed. _‘Well, sometimes my radar doesn't work properly’_ he told himself, though decided not to care too much. He would eventually stop liking him now that he knew he wasn't gay.

“What?! You are not gay?” Minhyuk yelled, looking at Changkyun as if he was sick or something. “You are joking, right?” the blond added.

“He must be” Hollie said, not believing him either. Kihyun wasn't that mistaken, then. He wasn't the only one who suspected Changkyun was gay.

“I'm not joking! Why were you all so sure I was gay?” the younger was blushing at that moment, suddenly getting shy ashamed about it. “I mean… I've never had a girlfriend before but that doesn't mean I like men” his confidence was slowly decreasing, and Kihyun smiled as he stared at him. He had to save him so the others wouldn't mock him anymore. He could already picture something around the room exploding and that wouldn’t be good.

“I didn't think you were gay” the purple haired raised his hand as he talked. It was a lie, of course, but he made Changkyun feel better. That was the only thing he wanted.

“Seriously?” Jooheon asked.

“Yes, I'm serious” Kihyun assured. “And you cannot say anything, Jooheon. Thinking you are straight when you are fucking Minhyuk is sick” the purple haired sighed. You are either bisexual or gay, but you are definitely not straight, dude. Face it” he made Jooheon growl and they all stopped mocking Changkyun. Hyungwon entered the room after they shut up and that made them forget the issue completely. Minhyuk approached the tall gray haired man and punched his stomach with strength, earning a long whine from him.

“You dumb fucker!” the blond shouted and Hyungwon frowned in confusion, pretending he didn't know the reason of his punch. “You drugged us!! Are you fucking nuts?!” he kept on yelling.

“I only drugged you with marijuana!” Hyungwon still didn't know what the pills were, and the entire group sighed in annoyance.

“It was ecstasy, flat ass!” Lucy said and the gray haired gasped in surprise. “Yes, dickhead, it was fucking ecstasy!” she exclaimed when she saw Hyungwon’s started expression. Kihyun thought the tall one was smarter, but he clearly didn’t know what his friends sold him.

“I'm sorry, guys! I didn't know” he apologized and Kihyun rolled his eyes. “My roommate told me they were marijuana pills” he explained and they all got the reason of his stupid behavior. But even if it was marijuana, he couldn’t force anyone to take drugs. Changkyun was 18, and Kihyun didn’t want to imagine what could have happened if he - or anyone else - mixed ecstasy with another substance. The purple haired also suspected it was the glass of coke that made Changkyun feel so terrible, because he felt just the opposite while being high.

“Told you he didn't know anything” Kihyun said. Hyungwon wouldn't give them ecstasy for free.

“Fine, we forgive you… but don't do it again or you'll be dead” Minhyuk said, dragging Jooheon out of the locker room. They were all dressed in their jumpsuits already, but were waiting for Jongwoon to say something. When the elder finally came and told them to go help at the auditorium the centre had, they all got up and left. Kihyun walked behind Changkyun and could clearly hear Hoseok whispering ‘thank you’ to Hyungwon.

“Why? Did you like it?” the tall one frowned in confusion.

“No, but I’ve got Hollie now” Hoseok replied with a bright smile. Thankfully, the girl was ahead from them, and didn’t hear anything.

“We have to, what?!” Minhyuk screamed as loud as he could, hiding behind Jooheon as he stared at the auditorium reluctantly. The place was full of people, but that wasn’t the problem. Their probation worker introduced them to the person in charge, making them realize what they would be doing that afternoon: taking care of mentally ill people. The man who they shook hands with was a famous psychiatrist, and he assured his inmates meant no harm. According to him, those were the quiet ones but Kihyun wasn't so convinced. As they walked through the auditorium, greeting the patients and listening to the indications the psychiatrist and the nurses gave them, the purple haired sensed something odd. There was a strange energy and he wondered what it was. “Hey, Kihyun” Minhyuk called him and interrupted his thoughts. “Give me a cigarette” he commanded. “Quickly! I seriously need an excuse to get out of here” he said and Kihyun rolled his eyes.

“I have cigarettes but I won't give you any” the purple haired replied. “I don't smoke much so I save them for special occasions, mostly when I'm stressed out after work” he explained. “So no, I won't waste my few cigarettes on you. If you want a reason to escape, pretend you have diarrhea or something” Kihyun walked a little faster, leaving Minhyuk behind so he couldn't insist anymore. “I can't stand that bitch” he whispered in Changkyun's ear, startling him and accidentally making his jumpsuit's pocket burst. Part of his white underwear could be seen and Hyungwon started laughing when he saw him. “Sorry” Kihyun apologized because he felt terrible.

“Don't worry, I'll find something to cover it up” Changkyun assured, patting Kihyun's lower back with a toothless smile resting on his face. “And I know you hate Minhyuk-hyung, you told me on Saturday” he laughed and Kihyun frowned.

“You remember that?” the elder asked and Changkyun nodded. “Wow, you have a good memory even when you are high” he chuckled, squeezing his companion's shoulder and keeping his hand there while they walked. Hoseok was near them and he stared at Changkyun's leg with a serious expression. He then opened his fanny pack and took out some elastic bandages he surely used at the gym.

“Here! Wrap it around your leg and your underwear won't be visible anymore” Hoseok handed the bandages to Changkyun, smiling childishly at him.

“Thanks, hyung!” the younger started doing what he was told and covered his ripped pocket completely. Kihyun wanted to help Changkyun himself, but he didn't have anything to give him, so he just helped him wrap the bandage securely.

“Well, I'll assign one or two inmates to each of you” the psychiatrist stopped on his tracks and turned to look at them. “You, young boy, go there” he pointed at Changkyun and the latter complied, approaching a woman in her early 40s who seemed to be completely lost, and an old lady that smiled at them when they greeted her minutes earlier. “You, young lady, go to that corner and play chess with them” he told Lucy, making her awkwardness show even more. “Don't worry, they are nice” the man grinned, and Lucy finally went where she was told.

The psychiatrist assigned someone to each of them and then went out of the room with Jongwoon, leaving the group with only two nurses and all those patients. Kihyun didn't like it. Having mentally ill people around to take care of was dangerous. He had terrible experiences with his aunt before, and he didn't want to have trouble again. Guessing what they were capable of doing wasn't possible, they were unpredictable. The purple haired glanced at Hyungwon, then Hoseok, then Hollie, Lucy, Jooheon, Minhyuk; and saw them overflowing awkwardness and nervousness. He then stared a little longer at Changkyun - not being able to help it -, and found him surprisingly calm. The black haired was chatting with the old woman and complimenting the drawings the younger one was doing. _‘Why do I always underestimate him?’_ he asked himself and unconsciously grinned, admiring him from afar.

“Hey” he heard a voice calling. “Are you paying attention to what I'm saying?” the inmate he had to entertain said. “And they call _me_ crazy” he sighed and Kihyun rolled his eyes. The patient was young, maybe Hoseok's age, and he was a disrespectful brat. The purple haired wanted to switch, he felt uncomfortable spending time with a boy like that. “Is that your boyfriend? You look at him a lot” the inmate told him.

“He's not” Kihyun denied. “What do you want to do? I have to entertain you” he sighed in annoyance.

“Can't you see that I'm solving a puzzle?” he asked and Kihyun tried not to get grumpy.

“Yes, I can see that” the purple haired showed a fake smile, took some chewing gum from his pocket and opened it to then eat it. “Keep going” Kihyun placed his feet on the table and turned to look at Changkyun once again. He didn’t care if some random lunatic discovered he liked the younger.

“So he’s not your boyfriend but you like him” the guy spoke, not lifting his gaze from the puzzle. It was big and had a lot of pieces with different colours. Kihyun didn’t even glance at the inmate. He had nothing to say. Talking to a crazy person was the last thing he wanted to do that afternoon. He already had trouble with Hongbin at work and had a pretty tough morning at university. “He won’t be with you” he added and Kihyun glared at him. “He seems nice, unlike you” the guy smiled playfully and the purple haired wished to punch his face.

“I’m a very nice person” Kihyun paused. “I’m being a douche with you because you’ve been acting like one yourself” he stated, chewing his gum as loud as he could to annoy the other. The inmate raised his shoulders, moving some puzzle pieces and finally shutting up - something Kihyun had been craving for a while -.

As he enjoyed the silence, he turned to Changkyun’s side once again. He was ready to stare at him for hours and maybe make him look back into his eyes and crack a mute joke or something. But he couldn’t find the younger anywhere. The old lady was fast asleep, and the other lady was drawing a strange scenery, not paying attention to anything else. Kihyun craned his neck, searching for Changkyun everywhere. “He’s not here” he whispered to himself.

“Where did your boyfriend go?” the inmate suddenly asked, but his mind was so clouded with concern he didn’t hear anything. Kihyun stood up absentmindedly and walked around the room. Hoseok waved his hand at him as he passed by, immediately realizing something was odd. The muscled one got up from his own chair and followed Kihyun, reaching for his arm to make sure he was alright.

“What is it?” the elder looked him in the eye, and then took a bag of onion flavored snacks out of his fanny pack. “I have these if you are hungry” he offered, smiling brightly. Hoseok thought Kihyun's worry was his stomach churning and growling; hilarious considering he was clearly looking for someone.

“No, hyung, it's fine” the purple haired gently pushed his hand away. “I can't find Changkyun” he explained, making Hoseok gasp.

“Didn't he go to the bathroom?” the elder asked, but Kihyun shook his head. If he had gone somewhere, he would have seen him leave the auditorium. The door was loud, every single time it was opened. Besides, Changkyun wouldn't have left without letting anyone know.

“Hyung, I can sense something. Since I entered the room I've been feeling a heavy energy… as if-

“As if they had powers like us!” Hoseok interrupted his words and guessed exactly what he was about to say.

“Yes! That’s what I thought!” Kihyun slapped Hoseok’s arm in excitement. “What do you think they did to Changkyun?” he asked and the elder raised his shoulders. They both looked at everyone, making sure the younger was truly missing, and they saw Hyungwon standing near one of the columns, holding a blank stare. “What’s Hyungwon doing?” the purple haired tilted his head, trying to figure it out.

“I don’t know…” Hoseok quickly put his snacks back in his fanny pack. As he closed the zip, he froze, and Kihyun frowned. The elder pointed at someone with his index finger and the purple haired widened his eyes. It was Jooheon, walking around and crashing onto every single wall he found. “Is that… normal?” Hoseok dumbly questioned, and Kihyun sighed.

“No, hyung” the purple haired said. “Look at Lucy” he added, making Hoseok get nervous. The girl was hugging her legs while sitting on her chair, and she seemed lost. Hollie wasn’t in a better state and Kihyun got scared. What if they were next and they couldn’t fix it? The purple haired intertwined his fingers with Hoseok’s and dragged him to the bathroom.

“Wait, Kihyun-ah” the elder said and turned around, finding Minhyuk following them.

“What’s happening?!” the blond yelled and hugged Hoseok. “Jooheon is crazy!” he said. “Everyone’s crazy! I saw our probation worker rolling around the floor” he told them, shaking Hoseok from his shoulders.

“Calm down!” Kihyun slapped his nape. “Those inmates have powers” he explained.

“Those? You mean each of them?” Minhyuk got startled.

“Not all of them, but I think at least two of them do” Kihyun stated. “Let’s find Changkyun quickly, I’m worried” the purple haired insisted. He couldn’t stand the idea of the younger suffering in any way.

“Stop being so obvious! He’s surely in the bathroom” Minhyuk said and Kihyun sighed in annoyance.

“We are in the bathroom, Minhyuk. Do you see him anywhere?” the purple haired was losing his patience because they didn’t have a clue where the younger was. “He was there, entertaining those ladies, and the second I looked away he vanished!” he was growing anxious and he was scared something had happened to Changkyun; something bad.

“Then, doesn’t that tell you anything?” Minhyuk asked and made Kihyun frown in confusion. “Those ladies, Kihyun!” he shouted, and Kihyun realized he was right.

“Let’s go back!” he ordered, but before he could move, the blond held his wrist.

“Wait, let’s contemplate on what to do… we can get hypnotized if we get back there” Minhyuk was right, so they stayed in the bathroom and decided to plan something. They should figure out who was making people go crazy, and then they could investigate on Changkyun’s disappearance. Kihyun knew they had to think carefully. It was a dangerous situation and they only shone, controlled people eventually, and had a lot of strength… nothing useful. If Hollie was there with them, she could have read their minds and figure out who it was.

“Hey, do you think it’s permanent? What if we need to kill the inmate who did it to make them get back to normal?” Hoseok asked nervously. He was sweating all over, his hair was almost drenched. Kihyun could tell how worried he was. But if they had to murder someone to save the others, the purple haired would do it.

“Don’t worry, hyung, I’ll kill that bitch when we find her… or him” Minhyuk said, raising his fist in the air with determination. “We all have to save our lovers” he added and Kihyun punched him.

“Changkyun’s just my friend” he assured, not wanting Minhyuk to bother Changkyun anymore. The younger clearly said he wasn’t gay, and Kihyun felt the others would scare him away if they kept on joking about them being together as a couple.

“Oh, come on, we all know how much you like each other”

“He doesn’t like me, okay? Stop it” Kihyun grunted. “And I don’t like him either!” he denied and Minhyuk laughed out loud.

“Oh, please” the blond glared at him. “Are you okay, Changkyunnie? You are very handsome, Changkyunnie. You have such a sexy and manly voice, Changkyunnie-

“Hey! I never said that!” Kihyun protested.

“Okay, maybe the last one was made up by me… but I heard you saying the other things, you can’t deny them” Minhyuk insisted. “You let him stay at your place on Saturday because he had nowhere to go” the blond winked at him. “Did you guys fuck?” he raised his eyebrows twice and licked his lips to mock Kihyun. The latter rolled his eyes. He wasn’t like Minhyuk.

“Of course not, Minhyuk” the purple haired replied, getting grumpier each second. “We talked for a while and then he went to sleep because he felt terrible- stop that! He slept on the couch, for God’s sake” Minhyuk was making silly gestures and Kihyun sighed in annoyance.

“Um… I don’t mean to interrupt but…” Hoseok pointed at the door and they saw the psychiatrist standing there with his arms crossed.

“What do you think you are doing? I’ll report this to your probation worker” he said and Kihyun widened his eyes.

“Wait, sir! We were just taking a leak, that’s it” Minhyuk told the man, and Kihyun slapped his head.

“Hoseok-hyung” the purple haired whispered when the man started scolding them, ordering them to go to the auditorium immediately. “Hit him harshly on the head” Kihyun added and Hoseok gasped. “Do it, hyung” he said, pushing the elder a little so he finally reacted. “We need to get him unconscious and we don’t have neither Hyungwon nor Lucy. Go!” he murmured. “Do it for Hollie” and after those words Hoseok reacted, approaching the man to then mutter ‘sorry’ and hit his head harshly. The man immediately passed out, and Hoseok gently placed him on the floor. “If they give you more days of community service, we’ll share the guilt, don’t worry” Kihyun patted the muscled one’s arm. “Good job!” he exclaimed, guiding the other two to the locker room. “Okay, let’s plan something” he rubbed his palms together and the three of them started working on a plan.

Changkyun didn’t know what had happened. Seconds earlier, he was talking to that nice old lady at the community centre’s auditorium, and then everything around him started spinning. He then fell on bright-green grass and his surroundings weren’t familiar at all when he opened his lids. The black haired felt dizzy, and he had to think hard to recall the reason which made him travel to a different dimension or something. The only thing that came to his mind was that he had complimented the other woman, the one who was drawing amazing sceneries… “It was her!” Changkyun said, remembering he touched the artwork to see it better and he appeared in that strange world. He looked around and immediately recognized it. It was the one in the drawing. The inmate had powers like them, but she had incredible ones. Changkyun stood up, patting his jumpsuit to make the grass fall off. He looked at the place and tried to figure out what to do until he realized he wasn’t wearing his jumpsuit anymore. The boy stared at his hands in horror, they were hairy and looked like paws instead. His clothes were colorful and he had a long tail. “Jeez” Changkyun’s hands started shaking. He was scared now. What if he was stuck there forever? Was it the lady’s mind? The black haired took a deep breath and tried to calm down. “Think, Changkyun” he told himself, but he had nothing. Maybe he should walk around and see if he found someone. It was the only solution he came up with, so he moved slowly, searching for any living thing.

Moments later, the emptiness started making him feel insecure. If there was no one there, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. Talking to someone was the only solution he had in mind, because escaping from an imaginary world was impossible if he didn’t get to convince the person who created it to let him leave. Changkyun sat down in the middle of the dirt path he was walking on and stared at the sky. It was light blue but it had strange clouds. The sun shone all over the land, and the trees were tall with colorful leaves. Everything was silent, not even birds could be heard. ‘Maybe I’m completely alone’ he thought, hugging his legs close to his chest.

After a while - that felt like ages -, Changkyun sighed and buried his face on his knees. He wondered if his real body was still at the community centre. Maybe Kihyun would see him lying lifelessly on his chair and would help him. ‘Yes, he will help me… he always does’ he told himself, relaxing a little. However, his calmness didn’t last long. Changkyun heard a loud noise behind him and, the moment he lifted his head and turned around, he found a huge monster, which looked a lot like a dog, growling at him. “Oh shit” he muttered under his breath and started running as fast as he could, trying to avoid being eaten.

The enormous animal chased after him for a long time, and he was almost caught. The monster's teeth were inches away from Changkyun's long tail and he didn't have a place to hide. Desperately, the black haired scanned the whole scenery and realized there was no much light under the trees. Their shadows formed a completely dark space and he didn't hesitate to head there. The huge ‘dog’ chased after him, but got confused and lost when Changkyun disappeared under the trees. The beast smelled the floor and the black haired held his breath the moment its muzzle appeared right next to him.

Once the monster gave up and left, Changkyun was able to take a deep breath and sit under a tree with his back pressed to its trunk. “Kihyun-hyung, help me” he whispered to himself and closed his eyes tightly, thinking maybe Kihyun would hear him somehow.

“Kihyunnie, I’m scared” Hoseok said as they headed back to the auditorium. “What if we can’t help them and they lock us in the asylum too?” the elder asked, squeezing Kihyun’s arm with strength.

“Ah! Hyung, you are hurting me!” the purple haired caressed his sore forearm and then pushed Hoseok away. “Squeeze Minhyuk’s arm now” he ordered and the muscled man shook his head, returning to Kihyun’s side.

“I promise I won’t hurt you” Hoseok assured and Kihyun sighed.

“Hey! Why don’t you want to be with me? I can protect you” Minhyuk winked and the elder got nervous.

“Um… I” he paused and scrunched his nose when the blond started dancing sensually. “That’s why” Hoseok told him, making him sigh.

“Well, you are missing the best” Minhyuk raised his shoulders and the three of them went on, slowly approaching the closed door of the auditorium. Kihyun grabbed the doorknob, turning it silently, and pushed the wooden surface carefully. The room was just like they left it. The inmates were quietly doing different activities while their partners were being crazy all over the place. Kim Jongwoon rolling on the floor, Lucy and Hollie were sitting on their chairs looking extremely lost, Jooheon was smacking his head on the wall and Hyungwon was laughing uncontrollably, lying on the stage which was in front of everybody.

After standing there for a few seconds, contemplating their options, they decided to go and put their plan to work. Minhyuk went up front and yelled, calling the inmates attention while Hoseok and Kihyun sneaked through the room. The purple haired offered himself to help Changkyun - of course - and Hoseok would go around the place, looking for the responsible of the mess. There were at least two people with superpowers, and they needed to find out who the second one was.

While Hoseok moved, Kihyun approached the two ladies Changkyun was with before, and sat on the younger’s chair. “Hi, ladies” the purple haired showed them his brightest grin. The oldest woman greeted him with a smile and shook his hand politely, but the other seemed too immersed in her drawing. She didn’t pay attention to her surroundings, and Kihyun knew it was her. “What a nice drawing” he complimented, though the lady didn’t look up. “Can I see it?” he asked, trying to reach for the artpiece. But when he was close to the paper, the older woman slapped his hand away.

“Don’t do that, young man” she warned. “Your friend did that and disappeared” the lady said, and Kihyun smiled. ‘Bingo!’ he thought and cleared his throat before speaking.

“Do you know how to come back?” Kihyun asked and the old lady nodded. “Can you help us?” the purple haired begged.

“I’ll try my best to wake her up from her daze” she assured. “But it’s not simple, darling” she patted Kihyun’s hand softly. “One girl from the asylum was trapped in there for days… I couldn’t wake her up” her facial expression showed concern and Kihyun gulped nervously.

“I’ll go help my friend” he informed. “Please try to wake her up while I’m gone” he said and the lady nodded.

“I will, darling” she was a nice old woman and Kihyun wondered why she was there.

“One last thing” the purple haired stopped on his tracks before touching the drawing. “Do you happen to know who is making my friends like that?” he pointed at the others and spotted Hoseok hiding behind a column, scared to death. Minhyuk was still dancing on stage, and most of the inmates were clapping and laughing at him.

“I think it’s him” the woman pointed at the guy Kihyun was sitting with earlier.

“That little shit” he whispered to himself but the lady heard him and gasped. “Sorry!” he giggled nervously. “Hoseok-hyung!” Kihyun yelled and the elder turned to look at him. The purple haired pointed at the boy with his head, but Hoseok frowned in confusion. ‘Aish, why is he so stupid?’ Kihyun rolled his eyes. “It’s him!” he shouted and the muscled one understood, but the guy saw him. When he was about to use his power on the purple haired, he quickly touched the drawing and his world started spinning. He got extremely dizzy and he could barely see anything the moment he landed on soft grass.

When his eyes finally adjusted, he was surprised. The place was amazing, very creative in Kihyun’s opinion. It had bright colours and interesting parts, it reminded him of Hoseok’s drawings. The purple haired stood up after inspecting the whole scenery with his orbs. Only when he did that, he realized he wasn’t himself anymore. “What the-” he said, staring at his hands and clothes in confusion. He was some kind of animal, apparently, and his jumpsuit turned into black and white pants. He wasn’t wearing anything on his upper part, but he didn’t mind because he was furry and fluffy. “Where could Changkyun be?” he talked out loud because he was alone and he didn’t really care. Kihyun looked around but the place was completely empty. The purple haired decided to follow the path that was there, and try to find the younger as soon as possible. However, after taking four or five steps forward, he heard incredibly loud growls. He didn’t know what it was until he saw it: a giant monster. “Or is it a dog?” Kihyun asked himself, tilting his head to the side as he inspected the one in front of him. Then, after making sure it was a huge dog, he ran as fast as he could, escaping from the cute but terrifying beast.

Changkyun was waiting under those trees when he saw something shiny under one of them. He frowned in confusion and got closer. The black haired was curious, and he couldn’t ignore his mind. Maybe it was the inmate who was controlling his actions, because he wouldn’t have done that if he had been thinking straight. Changkyun’s feet moved in a slow pace, and his eyes widened as he reached the shiny thing. It wasn’t a thing, actually, it was a door, a golden door. The black haired stared at it for a few seconds, unsure of what to do until he decided he had nothing to lose and pushed it open. “Whoa” he whispered once he entered the scenery that was behind it. Unlike the other one, this place was dark. Changkyun hadn’t seen it in the drawing and that made him realize maybe he wasn’t in the artwork. He must have been in the woman’s head instead.

The young man hesitated to enter, but he did it in the end. He was hypnotized by the dark scenery. How could something black, gray and white be so gorgeous? Changkyun walked slowly, taking in every detail. Though he didn’t get far. A scream was heard from the colorful place and before he knew it, a hand grabbed his arm. The golden door closed behind him and the person who held him tightly. Changkyun smiled when he saw who it was and turned to glance at him. “Hyung!” he said, making Kihyun let go. The latter looked funny, he was fluffy and furry too, though he seemed like a soft hamster. Changkyun hadn’t seen himself but he was sure he wasn’t a hamster. “You look cute” he complimented and Kihyun giggled.

“You look cute too, kitty cat” the elder touched his ears and Changkyun whined. Why was he a cat? He always thought himself to be more like a wolf or a dog. “What is this world? I’m surprised it’s so complex” Kihyun asked and the black haired raised his shoulders. “The old lady will help us get out, but we must be patient and try not to get in trouble” the elder instructed and Changkyun nodded.

“So she knew about her friend’s power?” the younger was surprised.

“Yes, she did” Kihyun said. “But I think she didn’t warn you because she never thought you would touch her drawing” he chuckled and Changkyun whined. “Hoseok and Minhyuk are trying to save the others” he announced and he seemed worried about them. The black haired couldn’t blame him, Minhyuk was smart but he acted out of impulse a lot, and Hoseok was pretty dumb. “I hope the douche didn’t use his ability on them” Kihyun sighed.

“The douche?” Changkyun asked, confused. “Was the boy you were with responsible?” he added and the purple haired nodded his head. “I could notice you weren’t happy with him” he said, and Kihyun frowned.

“How did you?” the purple haired told him and Changkyun didn’t know what was so strange about it.

“I just saw you talking to him and you had the same expression you showed me when we met” the younger laughed and Kihyun did too.

“Yeah, I guess I’m obvious when I don’t like someone” the elder elbowed him. “Just kidding” he added and dragged Changkyun along with him when he started walking. The younger smiled as he watched Kihyun cling to his arm, looking like an adorable hamster. His new appearance made him seem smaller and Changkyun didn’t know why his heart did that funny thing again. He turned to the front, staring at the scenery instead, and thinking about the possibilities they had to get out of that mess. If Hoseok and Minhyuk messed everything up, what would they do? They couldn’t be stuck in some inmate’s mind forever. “What are you thinking?” Kihyun asked, interrupting his depressive thoughts.

“I was just hoping the guys were fine” Changkyun replied, trying to sound less pessimistic. “Why don’t we go and find some shelter in case the old lady takes more time than we think?” he proposed, hoping they could just relax for a while. They had stressful days before going to the community centre, and Changkyun was tired. Before Kihyun managed to answer, they heard a loud noise. It sounded like a storm, a huge and dangerous storm. The boys looked at each other and then at the sky, and they were lucky they did, because a lightning fell right next to them. Changkyun screamed and quickly reached for Kihyun’s hand to guide him somewhere safe. The problem was the dark scenery was an open space. It didn’t have trees all around, and it had nowhere to hide. The storm reminded him of the one they faced on their first day of community service and he wasn’t wrong. Maybe the lady was replaying it in her head, because huge ice balls started falling, hitting the ground near them harshly.

“Changkyun! There!” Kihyun shouted, pulling with strength from Changkyun’s arm to drag him under a black rock. Once there, they stayed in silence, hearing the loud noises as they held hands. The younger didn’t notice he was still intertwining his fingers with Kihyun’s, but he didn’t want to let go. He felt warm and safe that way, even if he was scared. The elder squeezed his hand when one of those enormous ice balls fell near their feet, backing away a little. “Do you think someone has died here?” Kihyun asked, making Changkyun widen his eyes.

“What do you mean?” he was confused because he thought everything was just a fantasy and they were not their real selves there.

“The old lady told me one of the inmates was stuck here for three days once… so I started wondering if we could get hurt for real in here” Kihyun explained, and Changkyun’s heart hammered in his chest. They couldn’t die, right? He was calmer minutes ago, but maybe the purple haired was right. They should take care of themselves a lot, just in case.

“Let’s be careful, just in case” the younger said, letting go of Kihyun’s hand to sit on the floor. The storm seemed to be lighter and it would soon pass. Changkyun needed to rest for a moment and he grinned as Kihyun sat by his side. They stared at the scenery for a while, watching the storm as it faded. It was quiet, and the previously dark colours were slowly starting to come to life. When Changkyun thought about saying something, Kihyun let out a muffled giggle. “What?” the younger asked.

“The situation is just too funny” Kihyun answered. “You looking like a cat, me looking like…

“A hamster” Changkyun chuckled.

“A hamster, huh?” the purple haired raised a brow. “Okay, so you looking like a kitty, me looking like a hamster, the guys doing crazy stuff back there, and Hoseok surely making a full of himself while Minhyuk is trying to create a pertinent distraction” he said and Changkyun had to admit it sounded absurd. “It’s fucking twisted and stupid at the same time” he added and they both laughed. “And I think our powers don’t work in here… even if they are utterly useless” he said.

“I never thought I would go through something like this” Changkyun shook his head in disbelief. “It’s so weird…” he saw the scenery changing completely, and he noticed his own appearance changing as well. His hands were going back to normal and he could see Kihyun’s face losing all the fur. Changkyun raised both hands and moved them around, feeling good to have his body back. The only thing which was different were their clothes. They didn’t have their original jumpsuits, instead of being made of an orange fabric, they were made of candy wrappings. “We are normal again” the younger announced, ignoring their clothes.

“Or are we?” Kihyun joked, making his companion laugh. “Shall we move?” he suggested once the rock above their heads disappeared. The new place was made of all kind of sweets, and it reminded Changkyun of an episode from The Simpsons called ‘The Land of Chocolate’. The black haired had to admit that even if he was scared, that woman had a lot of imagination. It was kind of fun being there, he liked it more than his house.

The two of them walked around once again. Kihyun was holding his hand as he did before, and Changkyun knew it was a good way of sticking together in case something else happened. They had to protect each other because they weren’t sure whether they could die there or not. The path made of cookies led them to a weird cotton candy mountain, and Kihyun stopped on his tracks. “What on earth is this?” he asked. “What should we do?” the elder sighed. “I’m tired of this”

“Maybe we could-” Changkyun’s words were interrupted by a harsh earthquake, and they held each other tightly. “What was that?” the younger stared into Kihyun’s eyes and the latter raised his shoulders in response. But it wasn’t over, the earthquake came again, and this time the floor broke under their feet, making them fall into a dark space in which they spinned and spinned until they landed in the auditorium of the community centre. Once they finished yelling, they realized where they were. The others were forming a circle around them, blinking in confusion. Hoseok showed them a bright smile and helped them get up. Kihyun didn’t waste time, he hugged Hoseok and Minhyuk, thanking them. Changkyun looked at them hug for a few seconds as he waited to thank them too, though Kihyun let them go and hugged him tightly. The black haired got startled. He wasn’t expecting Kihyun to hug him, he had done nothing.

“We are alive!” he yelled and Changkyun finally reacted, circling his arms around the elder’s waist.

“Wow” Hollie said. “You two had a tough time, didn’t you?” she chuckled and they both nodded, letting go of each other.

“It was fun, though” Changkyun confessed and Kihyun punched his arm.

“Fun?! Are you nuts?” the purple haired pretended to be mad at him. “We had to relive that awful storm and we were almost eaten by a gigantic dog!” he shouted and the others laughed.

“Seriously? A giant dog?” Hyungwon asked, finding it hilarious. "You have to tell us every detail" he added, giggling. The inmates were all calm, doing what they had been doing before everyone lost control. The boy that was with Kihyun was sleeping on a chair - what he thought was Hyungwon’s or Lucy’s input -, and the woman was staring at them in confusion.

“I’m sorry for everything” she apologized and they told her it was fine.

“What do you say if we go get some hot chocolate?” Hoseok suggested. “I’m thirsty and hungry and we can leave” he assured and they all agreed. Jongwoon was now awake and had everything under control. The problem presented itself when they went out of the auditorium and found the psychiatrist Hoseok hit earlier. The man was raged, and he was ready to give Hoseok more days of community service. Kihyun didn’t want that to happen and, unexpectedly, he used his power. He managed to control the man and make him believe he fainted. Changkyun got surprised when the psychiatrist smiled and greeted them, heading back to the auditorium afterwards.

“That was amazing” the younger complimented Kihyun, earning a soft grin from him.

“Thank you” the purple haired replied, and they went to the nearest coffee shop to get something warm to drink together with some food. Hoseok was surprised when he saw Changkyun eating, and they had a good time together. No one fought, not even Hyungwon and Lucy. They managed to relax completely after a crazy day.


	9. Oblivious Changkyun

“Changkyun, Changkyun, Changkyun, Cha-

“What?!” Changkyun yelled when his patience was completely gone, making a flower vase that was on the kitchen counter explode. His brother turned to look at it in confusion and got distracted, forgetting about bothering his younger sibling for a few seconds.

“I think we have a ghost here” he shivered all over and Changkyun laughed inside. He was happy he could scare his brother a little, having fun with his power from time to time wouldn’t harm him. “I’ll be in my room” he announced and left. Changkyun sighed in relief when the closed his bedroom door, and took his phone out of his pocket to send Kihyun a message. The other day, they became even closer and Changkyun had to admit he missed him a lot during his boring days at home.

_Hyung! Do you wanna hear something funny?_

_I cannot hear you from here, but sure! :P_

Changkyun read Kihyun’s answer and chuckled, quickly texting something back. He had to be fast at those times because he couldn’t let his brother see what he was doing. His mother didn’t like him using his cellphone while he was studying. He had only two exams left and he knew everything already, though his mother believed he hadn’t done enough.

_Hamster-hyung~! Don’t be mean_

_Anyway, my brother thinks there’s a ghost here haha_

_Don’t call me that, kitty_

_Really? That’s amazing! haha_

_:( I’m not a cat…_

_Yes, you are_

_I’m not!_

_Keep telling yourself that :P_

_Why do you think I’m a cat?_

_Tell me your reasons_

_Because you just are._

_Oh, come on, hyung! I want to know why_

_Just because._

_¬.¬_

_Kitty <3_

_Hyung~!_

_You brought this on yourself, you know?_

_You called me hamster first_

_You are right..._

_Why am I so stupid?_

_I don’t know, cat’s are usually smart_

_You are a special case, kitty ;)_

_AAHHHH_

_Stop it_

_Fine, I’ll stop haha_

_What are you doing? Are you bored?_

_I want some ice cream_

_I’m ‘studying’_

_Bored as f... (I cannot curse)_

_I want some ice cream too!_

_For God’s sake, kitty cat, just curse!_

_We are chatting, your mom won’t see these messages_

_By the way, do you maybe want to escape and get ice cream with me?_

_I hate you ¬.¬_

Changkyun didn’t reply for a few minutes to pretend he was angry. He didn’t like being called a cat and Kihyun would surely feel bad about it if he didn’t answer. The elder was very nice, but he also loved teasing people, and Changkyun was one of his favorites to mock. The purple haired never stopped, he went on and on with his jokes until the younger got grumpy. He liked seeing him pouting and crossing his arms over his chest. He thought getting Changkyun angry was cute and funny.

_Aw, you aren’t only a cat..._

Changkyun read and Kihyun suddenly paused. It was only a few seconds, but the black haired got impatient.

_You are a grumpy cat_

_¬.¬_

He replied, but he couldn’t help to chuckle, thinking it was actually funny.

_Okay, I’ll stop now haha_

_Come on! Let’s go get some ice cream_

_Sundays are boring_

_Okay, let’s go!_

_I’ll pretend I’m going to sleep and I’ll escape through the window_

_What a bad influence I am_

_You are :P_

_See you in a few minutes_

_You are coming here?_

_Yup_

_Good! I’ll wait_

Changkyun quickly grabbed everything and went to his bedroom, announcing he would sleep for a while. His brother replied vaguely, not paying too much attention, and Changkyun smiled. He didn’t do those things often. Climbing out his window wasn’t a good idea because he didn’t know how to get back in. However, that didn’t stop him from grabbing several blankets - he used for his dog - before his mother gave the pet to an animal shelter without letting him know - and tying them up together. The black haired felt in an action movie. The simple fact of escaping made everything exciting. If his parents found out, he would face the consequences later. But he really needed to do it. He was always a responsible boy, he never broke the rules. That was enough to try some adventure for once.

When his ‘rope’ was ready, he tied it to his bed - which was touching the wall -. Then he locked the door to make sure no one entered his room while he was gone, picked his backpack up, and carefully stepped outside through his big window. His bedroom was on the first floor, it wasn’t that high. But Changkyun had never gone hiking or anything, so it was just a little scary. As he was slipping down, his hands started hurting. He hadn’t thought about it well though he couldn’t get back.

Once his feet were securely touching the grass, he looked up and thought he couldn’t hide the blanket-made rope. “Fu-” he was about to curse - like Kihyun told him to -, but then realized his window was pointing to one of the sides and they had to walk through the small path that lead to their garden in order to see it. Changkyun sighed in relief and silently tiptoed to the front of the house. The moment he reached the street, he ran to the bus stop. He couldn’t hang around his block when his brother was there. The latter could come out of his room and go to the kitchen. Thankfully, his parents were out of town with some friends from work, so he didn’t have any risks. He would be back before them.

His bus didn’t take long to arrive, and he felt safe in there. Kihyun lived far from him, but not that far. 20 minutes away, to be exact. It was still early in the afternoon, so Changkyun wasn’t worried about it. While he traveled, he realized the weather was getting colder and colder each day. Winter was coming and the black haired wondered if having ice cream was a good idea. Maybe hot chocolate or coffee would be better. He would tell Kihyun as soon as he reached his apartment.

Changkyun got surprised when he rang the doorbell and Kihyun appeared at the entrance door immediately. The black haired thought maybe he was waiting there for him not to waste time. The elder smiled as he saw him and stopped right in front of him, not knowing how to greet him. Changkyun could feel his awkwardness, so he reached out and hugged him. It lasted no more than two seconds, but Kihyun seemed satisfied. The black haired was very happy to have him as a friend, he wanted him to know. “Hi, kitty” the elder said, making him complain. “You escaped from home, I see” Kihyun patted his back. “I’m such a bad influence” he chuckled. “But I think you need to rebel at least once in your life” he added and Changkyun laughed. “How do you feel?” he asked after they started walking.

“I feel incredible” Changkyun admitted. “I was alone with my brother” he sighed in annoyance. “You can imagine how much fun I was having” the younger turned to look at Kihyun and found him staring back. Changkyun remembered all the times the purple haired glanced at him during their community service, and he wanted to know why. But he couldn’t ask. What would he say? ‘Hey, hyung, why are you always looking at me?’, that wasn’t an option. Maybe the elder found him weird or thought his nose was too big for his face - his brother mocked him all day long with that -. Changkyun didn’t consider himself a handsome man, so Kihyun’s reason was surely different. Besides, in the younger’s eyes, he didn’t look gay. And if he was gay, he wouldn’t like him of all people. They had Hoseok in their group… and they also had Hyungwon.

“I can tell” the purple haired said, chuckling playfully. “Hey, I was thinking” Kihyun spoke, fixating his eyes on Changkyun and not paying attention to his surroundings at all. The younger listened, but quickly held his arm when he tripped on his own feet. “Oof” Kihyun touched his chest, trying to calm his raced heartbeat. “Thanks” he giggled. “I was thinking maybe we could go to the food fair near here” the purple haired proposed, and Changkyun thought it was a good idea. They usually went to coffee shops and he wanted to do something different. Also, Wonwoo didn’t like fairs that much, he preferred malls. So Changkyun was excited.

“It’s a great idea! I was surprised when you suggested ice cream earlier” he admitted. “It’s pretty cold” the younger added and Kihyun nodded.

“It is” the purple haired said and circled an arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. “But ice cream is delicious in any weather” he smiled. The fair was getting closer as they walked, and Changkyun could already smell the food. His stomach immediately growled and he realized he was hungry. He didn’t have lunch that Sunday, that was his opportunity to devour everything he found. “Whoa, look at that” Kihyun pointed at chicken stand and dragged Changkyun to it by his hand. “Do you want some?” he asked, turning to look at him.

“Sure” Changkyun replied. “Let’s not buy that much, though. I want to try everything” he made Kihyun grin.

“Of course, we shouldn’t waste this opportunity” the purple haired chuckled, and then asked for two tiny boxes of fried chicken. He then ordered hot sauce and handed one to Changkyun. “Mm… delicious” Kihyun said after taking a bite from his chicken. “This is my favorite food” he commented and the younger got surprised. He didn't know why, but he had thought Kihyun's favorite food would be something more complex since he cooked so well. “What's yours?” he asked.

“Mine is...mm…” Changkyun thought about it while biting on a chicken wing full of that hot sauce he liked so much but made him suffer a lot as well. “I don't really know, I like many different things” he answered, trying hard to find his. “But I really loved that curry you made when we went to the nightclub” he chuckled and Kihyun blushed, suddenly speechless.

“R-really?” the purple haired was incredibly surprised. He even stopped eating for a few seconds.

“Yeah, really” Changkyun grinned. “I admire you for that. If I cooked for you, you would probably get poisoned” they both laughed at that and Kihyun patted his back.

“Thank you, kitty cat” Kihyun made him glare. “I know how to cook three or four dishes only” he giggled. “But I'm glad I do it well” he winked. Changkyun smiled at him, following him around as he started walking again. The fair was crowded, and they had to wait to get more dishes. They ate a lot of different things, and in the end Changkyun couldn’t breathe. He was extremely full. He didn’t know how he would eat dinner with his family later.

The afternoon was coming to an end, and they decided to sit on a bench near the fair. Changkyun felt so comfortable he wanted to stay there. They were both in silence, watching people go from one stand to the other, buying things, chatting and laughing. Changkyun liked it, he didn’t feel the need to say anything. The breeze was getting colder and colder as the sun set, and he noticed Kihyun was shivering. The younger glanced at him and saw him crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to warm himself up a little. Changkyun smiled toothlessly at the sight, taking his own jacket off and placing it on Kihyun’s shoulders. The latter got startled, he didn’t know what to do or say. “It’s okay, I’m not cold” the black haired muttered, and Kihyun grinned happily.

“Thanks” he replied, closing the jacket a bit more. “Hey, Changkyun” the elder called, moving his feet as he spoke. “You… um…” he avoided eye contact, staring at the floor. “Y-you are good company” he said and Changkyun looked at him, not saying anything in return because he knew Kihyun wasn’t done yet. “We should…” he paused. “Weshoulddothismoreoften” he rushed through those words and the younger giggled.

“You are good company too, hamster hyung” Changkyun replied. The purple haired seemed to relax after that; his feet moved slower and his body wasn’t tense anymore. He also had a satisfied, toothless smile resting on his features. “I’ll text you next Sunday and I’ll escape through my window again” they both laughed.

“That’ll be nice, Catkyun” Kihyun gave him a new nickname and made him whine. “What? You are a kitty” he stated, faking innocence. “You escape from your house and you jump out of your window” the purple haired said, making him chuckle. He then covered his mouth and became serious again, refusing to accept he was a cat. But at least Kihyun gave him a reason why he believed he was a cat.

“Hey, look! Changkyun and Kihyun!” Hoseok’s voice could be heard in the distance and they both looked up to find Hoseok and Hollie holding hands while eating ramen. “Hi, guys!” he yelled, letting go of Hollie’s hand to wave it at them. Lucy was there too, Changkyun noticed her when they approached their bench, and he wondered what she was doing with the couple.

“Hello” Kihyun greeted them, not looking very happy. “What are you doing here?” he asked and Hoseok suddenly became serious. He seemed to be thinking hard until Hollie answered for him.

“We are on a date” she told them.

“Why is _she_ here?” Kihyun frowned, pointing at Lucy.

“She tagged along” Hollie replied. “We don’t mind” she assured, though Hoseok didn’t seem to have the same opinion.

“They love me” Lucy said and Changkyun laughed. “What are _you_ doing here?” she asked.

“Eating” Kihyun stated. “And criticizing you” he added as a joke.

“Well, judging boys” Hollie said. “Do you want to come with us? We were about to go buy drinks” she explained and Changkyun stood up.

“Sure! We are thirsty too” the younger smiled. They both followed their friends through the fair and, as usual, Changkyun failed to notice Kihyun’s disappointed look.

  
  


Bitch-hyuk

_Hello!!_

_How are you all?_

Kihyun thought it was Changkyun, but it was just Minhyuk. He sighed and was about to throw his cellphone on his bed, but he decided to pay attention for once. The group must have thought he didn’t know how to text or something, because he never replied. Well, he did it only when they had problems during their community service, but the last few weeks were quite boring. They didn’t have to face anyone with powers, they just cleaned places and helped Son Hyunwoo with more than one charity event. The latter looked extremely awkward around Minhyuk, and Jooheon wouldn’t stop glaring at him. The blond apparently didn’t say anything to Hyunwoo after their passionate session, and the man wanted to talk. But Minhyuk kept on avoiding him like the plague.

Kihyun and Changkyun saw each other every Sunday since the time the younger escaped from home, and he enjoyed it very much. But Changkyun was either pretending he didn’t notice how much the purple haired liked him or too blind to realize it. That made Kihyun feel insecure because the boy seemed to like him back at times, though there were other times he showed he clearly didn’t want to be alone with him. So there Kihyun was, confused as hell.

Lazy ass

_I’m dead_

Sister number one

_What a shocker!_

_I’m fine, trying to finish preparing a class for tomorrow_

_Lucy’s still sleeping because it’s Sunday and she doesn’t like Sunday mornings_

Hoseok

_Hi! I’m fine_

_Having my second breakfast!_

Bitch-hyuk

_How many breakfasts do you have?_

Hoseok

_Usually three…_

_But sometimes four :)_

Bitch-hyuk

_Damn, dude!_

Sister number one

_I know, I was surprised when I found out too_

Changkyun

_Hi! I’m sorry I was helping my dad with something_

_Wow, Hoseok-hyung! You eat a lot_

Hoseok

_And you eat nothing!_

_Can I feed you?_

Changkyun

_Hahaha_

_I swear I eat!_

_He eats so little! Hoseok-hyung’s right_

Bitch-hyuk

_And how do you know he eats little?_

“Shit, I shouldn’t be that obvious” Kihyun whispered to himself. The others didn’t know they got together on weekends. Only Hollie, Lucy and Hoseok knew about the first Sunday, but the rest of the group didn’t.

Changkyun

_We’ve been hanging out on Sundays_

_And we usually get something to eat_

Lazy ass

_Hey! Why don’t you invite us?_

_I always invite you!_

_We don’t want you to drug us again_

Bitch-hyuk

_Hahahahahaha_

_Well said_

Lazy ass

_…_

_I said I was sorry!_

Bitch-hyuk

_That doesn’t mean you didn’t drug us_

_Okay, enough! I wanted to say something and you started talking about stupid things_

_So you think your things are more important than ours?_

Hoseok

_He does!_

Bitch-hyuk

_Oh, shut it, you two!_

_I wanted to invite you to the mall_

_Who’s in?_

Lazy ass

_I’m not going…_

_You all think I’m gonna drug you again_

Sister number one

_Stop playing victim, dickhead_

_I’m in!_

_I want to stop working for a while and the mall seems like a good idea_

Lazy ass

_:(_

_Okay, I’m going…_

Hoseok

_Me too! I want to see Hollie_

Bitch-hyuk

_Great! Honey is going too_

_We are together_

Kihyun stared at the group chat and waited for Changkyun to say something. He didn’t want to go if the younger didn’t. Hoseok was his friend as well, but he was all day long with Hollie. They didn’t kiss much in front of the others, but he felt uncomfortable.

Changkyun

_My mom let me go!_

_I’m in_

Bitch-hyuk

_Aw, we have a big baby in the group_

_Kihyun, are you coming?_

_Yup._

Changkyun

_I’m not a baby! I’m 18, I still have to ask my mom for permission…_

Bitch-hyuk

_Yeah, whatever, baby_

Changkyun

_¬.¬_

Kihyun smiled, happy he would see his crush in the afternoon as always. _‘I should ask him questions to be sure’_ he thought. If he managed to ask the younger about his love life - or the lack of it -, he would know his sexuality for sure. Maybe Changkyun was sure he liked women, but Kihyun could tell if someone was gay just by asking some questions. He had to be careful, though. He didn’t want to scare the black haired.

Kihyun threw his phone on his bed and left his bedroom, heading to the kitchen to make himself a hot drink. “Jihoon-ah” he called his roommate, interrupting his reading. “I’ll go to the mall later. Do you wanna come?” he asked but the shorter one shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. I have to study” Jihoon said. “And you should too” he added and Kihyun knew they had a difficult exam on Tuesday. However, he really wanted to see Changkyun, and a few hours outside wouldn’t harm him.

“I’ll do it as soon as I get back” he assured. “I’ve already been studying for days” he grinned toothlessly and went back to his room. He sat on his bed once again and picked his cellphone to check if the others kept on talking. They did, but Kihyun’s attention was immediately drifted to the next message he had. He tapped the screen and opened it, smiling at the sight of it.

_Hyung, how did you sleep?_

_I slept terribly_

_You?_

_Me too haha_

_My brother invited a friend and they were all night long playing video games and screaming…_

_He has my Nintendo… I wanna cry_

_Did anything explode? I suggest we murder your brother :P_

_I couldn’t sleep because my neighbors were having loud sex_

_They are a recently married couple haha_

_My favorite plushy exploded… such luck_

_I don’t know what’s worse, though xD_

_Hearing someone have sex is surely awkward haha_

_But my brother screaming is extremely annoying_

_Oh, poor Kkung! (that was his name, right?)_

_Yeah, Idk what’s worse haha_

_It was! He’s dead now :(_

_You have such a good memory, hyung!_

“I actually don’t” Kihyun whispered. “I just remember it because I care about you” he said, staring at his cellphone while thinking what to write.

_I do_

_I’m fab_

_You surely are haha_

_So…_

_I’ll see you later?_

_Yes!_

_I was going to invite you to come here if Minhyuk didn’t say anything_

_I was bored and thinking about our time together_

Kihyun’s heart raced at the thought of meeting Changkyun’s family. What would they think of him? He didn’t know if he wanted to meet them after the things Changkyun told him. They mistreated him a lot. The purple haired wouldn’t be able to stop himself from insulting them.

_Yeah? What about it?_

The elder asked, not knowing what to say after those words. Changkyun didn’t know how much he confused him.

_About how much fun I have :)_

_You really do?_

_Yeah…_

_I feel very comfortable around you, hyung_

_And I have to admit I miss you_

_Really?_

_Yeah, for real_

_I hope I’m not saying too much haha…_

_I just wanted to let you know you are already the best friend I’ve ever had_

Kihyun almost fell from his bed after reading that. How could someone say those words and add ‘friend’ to them. He missed Changkyun a lot too, but he didn’t miss him the way he missed Jihoon when he went on vacation and left him alone at their apartment. He really craved to see him.

_No, it’s alright_

_I miss you too_

_It’s just weird to have such an honest person as a friend xD_

_Jihoon is like that too, but he was the only one I knew before I met you_

_So it’s a bit shocking when you say those things_

_‘Not because I like you and my heart jumps every time… not at all’_ he thought, chuckling to himself. It was not typical of him to like someone that much and not tell him. Kihyun was very straightforward. But Changkyun was so different from every man he’d liked before.

_Oh, I see!_

_I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out_

_I’ll see you later ^^_

_You didn’t! :)_

_See you!_

When Changkyun arrived at the mall, he saw none of his friends around. They decided to meet at one of the doors and figure out what to do together. “Hi!” someone yelled, and Changkyun immediately recognized Hyungwon’s voice.

“Hi, hyung! You are early today” the black haired said, making the tall one chuckle.

“Yes, I am!” Hyungwon patted his back when he reached his side. “I wanted to prove I’m not as lazy as you think” he added, raising his fist in the air and making Changkyun laugh in the process. “Isn’t Kihyun here yet?” the elder was surprised. Kihyun was always the second to arrive, but he texted the black haired and told him he would be a little late. Apparently, he didn’t have hot water in the apartment and had to wait for it to come back. He needed to shower.

“No, he’ll be a bit late” Changkyun explained.

“This is the first time he’s late” Hyungwon told him, and took out a cigarette from his pocket. The younger stared at it to make sure it wasn’t marijuana, and he felt relieved when he confirmed it was just tobacco.

“Since when do you smoke, hyung?” Changkyun asked because he hadn’t seen Hyungwon smoking before. He had seen Kihyun, Minhyuk and Jooheon smoking, but not the gray haired.

“I usually don’t do it, but Ilhoon was smoking this morning and I felt like doing it” he replied. The younger nodded in response and waved his hand at the sight of the two sisters walking in their direction. “Do you want one?” Hyungwon said, startling him when he put a cigarette in front of his face, almost touching his nose.

“No, thank you” Changkyun lowered his companion’s hand softly, but Hyungwon dropped the cigarette when Lucy slapped his nape. The girl let out a horse laugh and the tall man growled in annoyance.

“Are you gonna buy me a new one?!” he yelled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Of course not, flat ass” Lucy answered. “It isn’t my fault your fingers are weak” she raised her shoulders, not caring about Hyungwon’s lost cigarette. The latter got angry, and they started fighting while Hollie and Changkyun stared at them.

“They are a lost case” Hollie whispered to the younger. “By the way, don’t worry, they won’t punch each other” she murmured in Changkyun’s ear, and he remembered the girl could read his mind. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to read your mind, I cannot help it most of the times” she apologized but Changkyun told her it was okay. He didn’t have anything to hide, though he still got surprised about it.

After that, Kihyun arrived. Changkyun could tell he had been running due to his heavy breathing. He held the younger’s shoulder as he calmed his raced heart down, and he then greeted the two. Hyungwon and Lucy were still fighting, and Changkyun was still worried because they were getting closer and closer as they argued. People around them were starting to stop and stare, curious of what was happening. “Hey! Stop it” Kihyun said and they both did. It was amazing when he managed to use his power properly. “People are staring” he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Uh… what happened?” Hyungwon suddenly asked, waking up from his trance. Lucy looked around, confused. It was as if they hadn’t stopped arguing themselves.

“Kihyun used his power on you” Hollie explained. “You were being embarrassing” she added.

“Well, he started” Lucy said.

“What?! You started everything!” Hyungwon yelled, but someone grabbed the neck of his fancy shirt from behind to keep him in place. He was about to fight again and Changkyun was glad Hoseok arrived just in time. “Hey! Let go of me!” Hyungwon tried to get rid of Hoseok’s hand, but he didn’t budge.

“Stop fighting Lucy! She didn’t do anything wrong” Hoseok said and Hyungwon turned to glare at him.

“She started!” the tall one screamed, and couldn’t believe the muscled one was defending Lucy. Changkyun chuckled, he knew Hoseok did it because Lucy was his sister in law, and he spent a lot of time with her and Hollie. “You are just biased” Hyungwon growled, taking out another cigarette to then light it up. When he was about to put it in his mouth, Minhyuk and Jooheon arrived. The blond snatched the cigarette from his fingers and smoked it himself, making Hyungwon whine again.

“Hello, everyone” Minhyuk greeted them. “Shall we go in? I’m craving for clothes, coffee and pastries” he proposed and then went to throw the cigarette. Hyungwon was still complaining, but he calmed down when he realized there was no point. The group went into the mall and headed to a shop Minhyuk was eager to visit. It had very colorful clothes and Hoseok was excited when he saw the variety of things it had.

“Go and try them” Hollie said, reading her lover’s thoughts even before he got to say anything. Hoseok’s smile grew wider and he pecked the girl’s lips before running after Minhyuk.

“Aw! You are adorable together” Changkyun complimented and Kihyun nodded. Hollie chuckled and Lucy started mocking her.

“I told you! You are whipped, he’s whipped, and we all notice” the younger sister winked at the older, making her sigh.

“Shut it” Hollie turned around and followed Hoseok. Changkyun didn’t know what to do. Hyungwon, Lucy, Jooheon and Kihyun were quiet, not moving from their spot. He imagined they didn’t like the style of those clothes, just like him, but it was a bit awkward to be standing there in the middle of the shop.

“Oh, fuck it, I’ll go have some fun too” Kihyun blurted out, grabbing Changkyun’s wrist. “Wanna come?” he asked and the younger nodded. “You?” he turned to look at the others, though they shook their heads.

“I’d rather stay here” Lucy and Hyungwon spoke in unison and they glared at each other. Jooheon told them he would probably help Minhyuk decide what he wanted, so Changkyun followed Kihyun around like a lost puppy. The place was huge, and it had a lot of things. The purple haired walked around, showing stuff to the younger and making him laugh with the silly jokes he cracked.

“Come here” Kihyun stated and Changkyun complied, going closer to him. The purple haired placed a beanie with cat ears attached to it on his head, making him whine. He laughed when he was done, and quickly took a picture of the younger wearing the woolen hat. “You look cute, Catkyun” Kihyun smiled while he pouted like a baby. The beanie didn’t only have those ears, it was also of a light pink colour, and Kihyun was enjoying it so much. Changkyun took it off after his companion snapped more than one photo, and turned to look at the shelves when he caught a glimpse of an orange scarf with hamster paws on each end. The black haired grabbed it and wrapped it around Kihyun’s neck in revenge, making him giggle.

“It really suits you, hamster-hyung” Changkyun smiled proudly, but the elder didn’t seem affected. On the contrary, he stared at it and contemplated the idea of buying it.

“This is truly awesome” Kihyun said, making Changkyun sigh. “I’ll take it. I seriously need something to cover my hands, and I usually forget my gloves” he added, making the younger feel even more hopeless. He got annoyed every time Kihyun called him kitty, but the latter didn’t give a damn when he called him hamster. The purple haired chuckled as he saw him whining, and he pinched his cheeks. “You have to embrace your destiny, Catkyun” he whispered. “You have to accept you look like a soft kitty” Kihyun smiled, taking the cat beanie from the shelf. “I’m gonna buy it for you” he giggled, and Changkyun started trying to take the item away from his hand. “Nope, I’ll buy it anyway” he laughed evilly and ran to the cash register.

The younger gave up after that. Kihyun bought him the beanie and showed it to Hyungwon, Lucy and Jooheon. They laughed, as expected, and the younger blushed a little. “I hate you” Changkyun muttered under his breath, pretending to be angry. He wasn’t truly pissed, he just hated the idea of other people calling him kitty. Kihyun didn’t seem to care though, he just laughed and pointed at his face with his index finger.

“I really like it! You must look so cute” Lucy excitedly said, taking the beanie and placing it on Changkyun’s head carefully. “Aw! So adorable” she added, and Kihyun smiled proudly. “It suits him, oppa” she told the purple haired. “I guess you know him well” she winked and Changkyun frowned, not getting what that meant. ‘Probably nothing’ he thought and decided not to pay too much attention to Lucy’s actions.

“Well…” Kihyun gulped audibly. “We’ve been hanging out a lot!” he clarified and Changkyun nodded. “Just that” he seemed nervous, though the black haired ignored it. He was surely imagining things.

“You care about Changkyun a lot, don’t you?” Jooheon asked in a challenging way.

“He’s my friend, why wouldn’t I care?” Kihyun replied, keeping a serious expression on his face. “Oh, wait, I know… you don’t care about anyone but yourself so you find it weird that I care for him” the purple haired said, making Hyungwon laugh out loud. Jooheon’s face was flaming red. Changkyun could tell he was angry, but he didn’t answer, he kept his emotions inside until the others came back.

Hoseok had bought three different fanny packs - even if Hollie told him they were hideous -, a pair of what looked like pajama pants, and three colorful t-shirts. Minhyuk had three bags of clothes and he assured everyone he would make a fashion show later - that meant he would send pictures at the group chat wearing those outfits -. On the other hand, Hollie didn’t buy anything. She went to support her boyfriend and help him choose his clothes, but in the end Hoseok grabbed whatever he wanted. “Nice beanie, by the way” Hollie said, touching Changkyun’s ‘ears’. The younger took it off, feeling embarrassed. “Why did you take it off? It suits you! We always believed you resembled a cat a lot” she assured and Lucy nodded her head in agreement.

“Why do you think I resemble a cat? That’s not true” Changkyun whined. He just wanted a reason; a single reason. The sisters exchanged knowing stares and then went back to look at the black haired, making him feel uncomfortable. “What?” he chuckled dryly. “Tell me a reason!” he demanded, but they just started walking and Hollie dragged Hoseok out of the shop. Kihyun patted Changkyun’s back in a comforting manner and then circled his arm around his shoulders.

“Don’t worry, you’ll understand when you look at your reflection in the mirror carefully” the purple haired joked, and Changkyun couldn’t help to laugh.

“You are mean” the younger pouted as Kihyun guided him out of the shop, following the group. They did a lot of things that afternoon. The mall was huge and had plenty of different shops. Minhyuk entered a lot of them and not only brought things for him, he gave Jooheon many presents. Lucy and Hollie only watched, just like Hyungwon. Kihyun didn’t have that much money with him, so he limited himself to play with the different items and then place them back on the shelves. Hoseok bought clothes in five more stores - and stole two pairs of tight boxers without realizing it -. Hollie scolded him, but also helped him take all those bags full of clothes to the coffee shop. The group went to a huge one full of people. They chose a table and sat all together. Minhyuk was very hungry, so they ordered as fast as they could.

“Food, food, food~” Hoseok singsang, making a rhythm with his fingers and the wooden surface of the table. However, his music show didn’t last long. Lucy hated people hitting objects and making annoying noise, so she grabbed the elder’s wrist, not letting him continue.

“Stop it” she ordered. Hoseok pouted like a baby, but the food arrived just in time to make him forget about his sadness.

As they were drinking their beverages, eating their pastries and chatting, people started looking out the windows. Changkyun immediately turned around and finally knew the reason. The crowd outside the coffee shop was running around like crazy, and some of them crashed against the glass, scaring the ones inside the shop. The customers started getting up and backing away, but one man took his kid and opened the door, running as fast as he could and letting the zombie-like people enter. Changkyun widened his eyes, scared as hell. He didn’t know what they would do, and he thought maybe that was one of his nightmares. He usually dreamt of zombies, but that was just too real. Before he could react, a hand pulled from his arm, throwing him to the floor behind the counter. Kihyun helped him get to a seated position and held him tightly against his chest.

Changkyun froze. The rest of the group were there while people screamed and tried to escape with no success. Hollie was hugging Hoseok, letting him cover his eyes with her shoulder, and Minhyuk was doing the same to Jooheon. Changkyun found it strange how much of a coward Jooheon was. He looked tough but he wasn’t. “Are you okay?” Kihyun whispered in his ear, making him shiver a little. He was too close, and Changkyun could feel his soft breath. “I’m sorry I made you fall” he apologized, but the younger shook his head to let him know he was fine.

“They are crazy!” Minhyuk said once they made sure that spot was safe. All the other customers were weird zombies now, and they decided to take a look at them. “They don’t stop moving around” the blond added, and the others nodded. Changkyun stared at the ‘creatures’ for a few seconds, noticing something too damn strange in them.

“T-they…” he paused, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. “They are… dancing…” he whispered and his friends gasped.

“You are so smart!” Kihyun complimented. His eyes were shining as he stared at Changkyun, and he wondered why. The two sisters looked at each other and rolled their eyes, making Changkyun feel confused. “They are truly dancing” the purple haired said, and they finally perceived the music that was being played around the mall. “What should we do?” Kihyun asked everyone, but his eyes didn’t leave Changkyun.

“Are you asking Changkyun?” Minhyuk raised a brow.

“No, I’m asking everyone!” the purple haired glared at the blonde, muttering an almost inaudible ‘stop it’.

“Let’s wait a little while and then try to do something” Hollie proposed. “There must be a reason why all these people turned into dancing zombies” they all knew those powers weren’t good when it came to lunatics or psychopaths, and they were sure all that had been caused by a simple human being, affected by that strange storm they had to go through months ago.

The coffee shop was illuminated with strong lights, so they stayed in the shadows in case those ‘zombies’ could see properly. They didn’t know what they were dealing with. The situation was twisted and they had to be careful. Jooheon was still clinging to Minhyuk, unmovable, and Changkyun didn’t see him running around the mall. If he didn’t move from there, they’d have to carry him or leave him there until they solved the problem. “Hey, I think we can run now” Kihyun whispered, checking on the dancing zombies to make sure they were less than before. “Most of them went out of the shop” he announced and everyone nodded except for Jooheon.

“Honey, we need to move” Minhyuk told him, but the younger was petrified. “Hey” the blond shook him a little, but he didn’t budge. “Go” he said, turning to look at the others. “I’ll stay with him” he assured, and Kihyun intertwined his fingers with Changkyun’s slim ones. The latter stared at their hands, wondering what that funny feeling was. He was feeling it all over again, though he couldn’t recognize it. Changkyun focused on his own heart, trying to figure it out, but he didn’t have much time to do so. The other five quickly stood up and Kihyun forced him to do it too.

When they started running, the dancing zombies started following them. They were fast, and Changkyun knew he wouldn’t make it. He almost got killed by their previous probation worker and he didn’t think he could survive a thousand zombies running after him. The six of them sticked together, but it wasn’t enough not to panic. Lucy was in the verge of tears and Hyungwon seemed to be losing energy. His legs were starting to give up and Changkyun was losing hope as he watched his group panic. Kihyun and Hollie seemed to be the composed ones, even Hoseok - who had all those muscles and strength - was screaming and holding his girlfriend’s arm so tightly it could break. “Seokkie-oppa, you are hurting me” she said, trying to make Hoseok let go.

“AAHHH!” Hoseok yelled, picking Hollie up in his arms and running even faster. Hyungwon was up front, but the muscled one went past him when he sped up. The dancing zombies were throwing themselves at the group, and Hollie kicked one man’s face when he tried to attack Hoseok. The latter was so scared he was failing to see his surroundings. It was quite hard to dodge all of them. Changkyun was doing his best, though his hand was getting sweaty and Kihyun’s fingers were slipping from his hold.

“Don’t let go!” the purple haired told him, squeezing his hand hard. When he did so, he looked back and one of those zombies approached him in a rapid speed. Changkyun widened his eyes, quickly reacting and elbowing the dancing zombie in the face. Kihyun seemed surprised when the ‘creature’ fell on the floor, dazed and confused. “You saved me” the elder said, stopping for a few seconds to stare at Changkyun. His eyes were shining once again, and the black haired smiled at him. “You keep on surprising me” he added, but more of those things ran towards them and they had to go on. Hollie and Hoseok were far ahead while Lucy and Hyungwon lost speed.

“Hey, wait!! I cannot run anymore!” Lucy shouted while tears fell through her cheeks. Quickly, Kihyun told everyone to get into a clothes shop. The place was full of zombies, but they took long to react due to their dance moves. The 6 of them managed to get into the shoes storage room, and they breathed heavily as they calmed their raced hearts a bit. “Listen, we have to make a plan” Kihyun whispered, placing his ear on the door to make sure when to get out. “Let’s split and look for someone who’s calm or happy about all of these crazy zombies” he suggested, but Lucy didn’t seem happy about the plan. Changkyun didn’t think it was good to split either. However, the place was huge and he was sure they wouldn’t find the responsible unless they split.

“Okay, good idea” Hollie said. “I’ll go with Seokkie-oppa” she announced, even if it was obvious. Changkyun then turned to stare at the others and decided to wait until someone said something. He wanted to go with Kihyun, but he knew Lucy hated Hyungwon and it wouldn’t be fair to put them together. Silence filled the room. It was awkward enough to make them all scratch their napes in unison. Hyungwon was staring at Changkyun as if he asked him silently to go with him. But that was a terrible idea. Changkyun sucked at running and Hyungwon ran too fast, a bad combination.

“I’ll go with Changkyun” Kihyun and Hyungwon said at the same time, and then glared at each other. Lucy rolled her eyes, getting extremely annoyed and impatient.

“Fine, leave me here, you assholes!” she exclaimed.

“I can go with Lucy and you two go together” Changkyun suggested. They couldn’t stay in there the whole day discussing, they had to do something before the whole population turned into dancing zombies.

“NO!” Hyungwon and Kihyun yelled, and Lucy pretended to cry.

“Then, what do you suggest we do?” Changkyun asked. Kihyun quickly grabbed the younger’s hand, squeezing it a little too harsh.

“I touched him first, you go with Lucy” the purple haired was being so immature, but Hyungwon wasn’t any better.

“That’s not fair! Let’s play a game and decide” Hyungwon said, making Lucy and Hollie sigh in annoyance.

“Stop it, you two! You are acting like kids” Hollie scolded them. “Hyungwon will go with Lucy and Changkyun will go with Kihyun. End of the discussion!” she ordered, climbing on Hoseok’s back so the man could run around comfortably. He was extremely strong, so Hollie was light as feather to him.

“Hey! That’s not fair” Hyungwon and Lucy whined, but the others ignored them; except for Kihyun, who pointed at them with his index finger and laughed silently.“Okay, I think it’s clear now” Hollie announced after listening for a few seconds. “I can’t hear any footsteps anymore” she added. “Hoseok-oppa and I will go around the lower floor, you two stay at this floor, and you two go upstairs” she commanded. “Got it?” she asked and the other four nodded. “Good” she smiled. “Let’s go” Hollie opened the door and they went out of the storage room quietly. The zombies were distracted, and they could escape the shop without running. The clothes covered them and they hid every time they felt the creatures’ stares on them.

“See you later” Kihyun whispered when they were out of the store, dragging Changkyun upstairs. The dancing zombies noticed them at that moment, and they started speeding up once again. The younger was tired, he seriously believed he wouldn’t last long. Kihyun, on the other hand, was very determined to find the responsible, and he wouldn’t let go of Changkyun’s hand. The elder wanted to make him feel secure. The black haired didn’t know how to thank Kihyun for all the things he did for him. He helped Changkyun a lot. His confidence was better since he met the purple haired and he also had more courage to do things.

When they finally reached the second floor, they almost went back. It was even fuller than the first floor, and Changkyun was sure the video games’ shops were the responsible ones. The zombies were mostly teenagers, and Kihyun turned to look at him in horror. “Fucking teens” the purple haired muttered, and Changkyun clearly saw one of those dancing zombies approaching him. The younger didn’t know what happened. He reacted as fast as he could and pushed the zombie, making it fall backwards. Kihyun was shocked, and he wouldn’t stop staring at him with that light in his eyes. “Wow, incredible!” he exclaimed happily. “Thank you so much” he smiled, intertwining their fingers once more.

“No problem, hyung. You would have done the same thing for me” he replied with a grin on his face. “Hey” he added as they dodged their attackers and ran away from them. “Don’t touch their bare skin, I think that’s the way they caught the dancing disease” he warned because he saw one man getting turned while hiding behind the coffee shop’s counter.

“How do you know?” Kihyun frowned, making one zombie fall in the process.

“I saw a man getting turned when we were hiding at the coffee shop” Changkyun explained. “I don’t know if I’m right, but I think it might be like that”

“You keep on surprising me, kitty” the purple haired said, chuckling a little at the nickname he used. “You are so smart” he ruffled Changkyun’s hair. That made his cheeks become flaming red, but it was probably the compliment. He always got shy when people complimented him, that was surely the reason of his nervous state.

As they ran through the mall, Changkyun noticed they could see the lower floor from there. The glass handrail preventing them from falling gave them a full view of the mess around the place, and that’s when Changkyun spotted something strange. There was a man standing in the middle of the place, dancing along the music while laughing and pointing at the zombies around him. He seemed to be having a lot of fun, so Changkyun thought maybe he was the one causing everything. “Hyung!” he called his companion, making him turn his head in his direction. “Look at that man! I think he’s the one causing all of this” he said while pointing his finger at him, and Kihyun gasped.

“You are so observant” he complimented Changkyun again, dragging him to the stairs. “Do you think we should get Lucy and Hyungwon to make that guy sleep?” he asked and the younger nodded excitedly.

“That's a very good idea, hyung!” the black haired smiled. “See? You are very smart too” he told Kihyun, and this time, he was the one who blushed and giggled. Changkyun stared at him for a few seconds, dodging zombies in the process and kicking some of them too. Why was Kihyun so happy with his words? Was it the same reason he had? It was possible the elder didn't hear nice words from other people often. It was surely that.

“Jump!” the purple haired told him, holding his wrist with strength to help him. They were going down the escalator, so it was very hard to dodge those things there. They decided to cover their free hands with their sleeves not to accidentally touch the zombies, but they were having a hard time keeping them that way.

When Changkyun landed back on the metal surface, Kihyun caught him and lifted him up from the floor to carry him around as Hoseok did with Hollie long minutes ago. The black haired laughed, thinking about how ridiculous they must have looked. “This is funny” he yelled while kicking some zombies on the face.

“Thank God you eat nothing” Kihyun replied, and they both let out a horse laugh.

“You can put me down if you want to” Changkyun assured. He felt like a burden being carried that way, but Kihyun seemed to be enjoying it. They pushed the dancing zombies easily, and the younger could use his feet, not risking himself.

“It's fine, you are seriously the lightest person I've carried in my life” Kihyun answered, gazing at Changkyun for just a second. “I'll look around to find Lucy and Hyungwon while you kick those zombies” he said, and the black haired complied. He defended Kihyun while he searched for Lucy and Hyungwon. But there was no one around.

Changkyun and Kihyun had a hard time at the first floor. It was huge like every other floor, and it had a thousand shops. Kihyun was growing tired and he had to leave Changkyun on the floor after a while. “Hyung, let's rest there!” the younger pointed at a huge shop which had incredible dressing rooms. They both ran as fast as they could and headed to the dressers, ready to hide. Though the moment they opened the door of one of them, they almost had a heart attack. There Hyungwon and Lucy were, kissing the daylights out of each other.

“Yah!” Kihyun yelled, covering Changkyun's eyes after locking the door behind them. They had to be safe, but Kihyun had to protect the younger from obscene content too, it was his second priority. The black haired laughed, softly lowering Kihyun's hands. “Why the fuck are you kissing?! I thought you hated each other!” the purple haired yelled and the couple raised their shoulders at the same time.

“We were freaking out and fighting at the same time, so we just kissed” Lucy explained. “But don't tell anyone! We hate each other, it was a mistake” she added while Hyungwon nodded by her side.

“We won't tell” Changkyun smiled. “We need you guys” he said, wanting to be quick so they could end those zombies.

“Changkyun figured everything out! He's a genius!” Kihyun made him blush once again, and Lucy shook her head in disbelief.

“How can he be so oblivious?” she asked, confusing Changkyun big time.

“Shut up” Kihyun ordered in a whisper, slapping her arm with the back of his hand. “There's a guy standing in the middle of the lower floor, and he's happily dancing along with those zombies. But he doesn’t look dazed, he looks fine. He’s even laughing!” he explained and Hyungwon got excited.

“I will make him sleep!” the tall one yelled, but Lucy cleared her throat loudly.

“Excuse me? I will make him sleep” she pushed Hyungwon to the side, opened the door of the dressing room, and ran as fast as she could. Changkyun saw everything in slow motion as Hyungwon followed her. It looked like a comedy movie. They pushed each other, stepped on their feet, and did everything they could to slow the other down. Kihyun and Changkyun went with them, and the elder wouldn’t stop laughing. When they reached the lower floor the purple haired was out of breath and the younger had to protect him from the zombies. His laughter made him get distracted and Changkyun had a hard time helping him.

Hyungwon and Lucy were almost there, but before they could use their amazing power on the guy, Kihyun was touched by a zombie. Changkyun widened his eyes the moment he started dancing along with the others, trying to turn him too. “Guys! Hurry up!” he desperately shouted, dodging Kihyun’s limbs. Hyungwon and Lucy were still fighting, but the man’s concentration didn’t last long. He saw the purple haired dancing and lost it. His laughter was loud and he threw himself to the floor. Thankfully, Hoseok and Hollie appeared out of nowhere and the muscled one picked Lucy up instead, taking her faster to the guy. Before she touched him, Hyungwon and Hollie got turned into dancing zombies too. Changkyun saw one of them coming to him and he went backwards, falling on the floor. He closed his eyes tightly, embracing his destiny, but nothing happened.

When he opened his lids, all the customers around the mall were back to normal. They were confused, looking around in shock and wondering what had happened. Some of them remembered part of the attack, though they all considered someone used hallucinogenic gas on them. Changkyun couldn’t blame them. Who would believe in dancing zombies aside from those that experienced the storm?

The purple haired saw the younger lying on the floor and quickly helped him up, hugging him tightly right after. “Are you hurt?” he asked, gently cleaning Changkyun’s clothes.

“No, I’m perfectly fine, hyung” the younger grinned. “Are you hurt?” he asked back, and Kihyun shook his head.

“I was having fun as a zombie” he joked, giggling a little.

“I could see that” Changkyun chuckled and rested his hand on Kihyun’s shoulder while walking with him. Their friends were talking around the unconscious man and Changkyun tried to think about a plan to lock that man somewhere. They couldn’t leave him wandering around with that dangerous power, he would surely turn everyone into a dancing zombie when he woke up.

“I told you I would do it” Lucy told Hyungwon, sticking her tongue out at him.

“That’s not fair! Hoseok-hyung helped you!” the gray haired snapped, fighting for the thousand time that day. “I got turned into one of those things while you were being carried bridal-style!” he yelled, though Lucy still had that arrogant smile on her face.

“I’m better than you” she muttered, and her sister rolled her eyes.

“Stop it, you two” Hollie said. She then looked at the younger woman and widened her eyes. “You kissed Hyungwon?!” she asked, shocked.

“What?! How do you-oh… you can read minds” Lucy replied, chuckling dryly. “Well, yeah, we kissed! But it meant nothing, we were just…

“Releasing some tension?” Hyungwon kind of asked.

“That’s right” Lucy agreed. “We were releasing some tension” she smiled confidently. “We still hate each other, right?” she stared at Hyungwon until he nodded.

After they made sure people weren’t looking at them, they dragged the unconscious guy across the mall. They returned to the coffee shop where Minhyuk and Jooheon were, and left the man behind the counter. The workers hadn’t returned yet, and they could calmly decide what to do to prevent the guy from doing it again. “What if we throw him to a garbage can?” Minhyuk proposed, making the others glare. “What? He’s dangerous” he crossed his arms over his chest.

“We could cut him into pieces, cook him and eat him” Hoseok said and the group widened their eyes, startled. “What? Is it a bad idea? No?” he turned to glance at Hollie, who gently patted his head. “Meat is expensive” the others got startled at those words.

“It’s a creepy idea, Seokkie-oppa” she caressed his hair.

“Oh, I see” the man smiled toothlessly at his girlfriend.

“What if Hoseok-hyung carries him to the nearest park, puts him on a bench and we wait for him to wake up?” Changkyun raised his hand to speak. “We could try to reason with him… maybe he’s not a bad person and he’s just immature?” he doubted himself when Minhyuk rolled his eyes and Jooheon glared, but the others seemed to like his idea. At least it was less crazy than the previously proposed. Kihyun was already staring at him with that light in his eyes, and he believed a compliment would follow.

“You are always so smart, kitty” Kihyun said, grinning brightly as he touched Changkyun’s black locks. Hollie was shaking her head in disbelief, Lucy was smirking playfully at them, Minhyuk raised his brows twice at Changkyun, Hoseok had hearts in his eyes, and the other two seemed distracted. “Shut up” the purple haired told them, confusing Changkyun once more that afternoon.

“He has no clue” Hollie whispered, earning a slight punch from Kihyun. “Anyway” she talked in her usual tone of voice. “That’s a good idea” she patted Changkyun’s shoulder. “Let’s go” she ordered. “Seokkie-oppa, pick him up” Hollie said. Hoseok immediately complied, and they went to the nearest exit with the unconscious stranger.

Once in the park, they waited for the man to wake up. As Changkyun said earlier, the guy discovered his powers that morning and started turning people into zombies to have fun. He pointed out that he was certain no one would get hurt, and that was the reason he did it. The others listened to his story and made him promise he wouldn’t do it again.

After that tiring day at the mall, they went to a night market and ate something together. They had no energy, so they sat on the floor in silence. Changkyun was a little nervous because it was getting late and his mother didn’t like him going home after dinner. He seriously loved being with the others, but he had to stand up after finishing his food. Everyone paid attention to him as he cleaned the back of his pants, wondering what he would do. “I’m sorry, guys… I have to leave” Changkyun announced and Kihyun stood up too.

“I’ll walk with you” he grinned, freeing his clothes of dust as well. However, the younger thought it would be stupid if Kihyun walked with him. They lived far away from each other and they would go together for less than 2 minutes. Changkyun didn’t want to spoil Kihyun’s fun, he wanted him to stay and eat comfortably. The purple haired hadn’t even finished his fried chicken yet.

“No, it’s okay, hyung” Changkyun placed his hand on Kihyun’s chest. “I’ll walk by myself” he added. “Stay and finish your food” he smiled softly in order to make it clear that he didn’t mind. He knew Kihyun was starting to think he was mad or something, but he truly wasn’t. Changkyun was just being considerate and letting him stay with the others. “Thank you for the pink beanie” he joked and lifted the tiny bag containing the cat beanie. “Have a nice evening, guys!” he waved his hand at everyone. “It was tiring but I felt like we were in a video game somehow” he joked and the others chuckled. “Bye!” he greeted them and left, thinking about the teasing remarks he would get from his brother when he got home with that pink beanie.

Kihyun sighed and sat back down, eating a chicken wing out of frustration. The rest of the group was staring at him and he didn’t like it. He knew he had been obvious the whole day, but he didn’t want to talk about it. The purple haired rarely shared those things. He only told Jihoon, who was his best friend and didn’t judge him. Being gay in South Korea wasn’t easy, Kihyun had a hard time accepting it. But seeing Minhyuk kissing the daylights out of Jooheon and other men in front of everyone made him realize it was better to ignore people.

“You were roughly rejected” Minhyuk stated, earning a burning glare from Kihyun.

“I wasn’t trying to get him, okay?” the purple haired said. “I like being with him, that’s all” he explained though it wasn’t entirely true. He wished to walk with him so he could talk to him and determine whether he should keep on liking him or not. Kihyun knew it would be hard to stop fancying him when he saw him every day at the community centre, but he would try his best if Changkyun wasn’t gay. Liking a straight guy wasn’t good, and he wouldn’t let it happen.

“You like Changkyun?” Hyungwon asked, surprised.

“Of course he does” Lucy and Hollie replied at the same time, before Kihyun got to say no. “Don’t deny it, I can read your mind” the elder sister told him, making him whine.

“Fine… I like him…” he paused to sigh. “But just a little!” he lied, and Hollie rolled her eyes. “I don’t know if he’s gay… I can’t relax until I’m sure” Kihyun clarified.

“He is” Minhyuk said. “He hasn’t accepted it yet, but he will at some point” the blond assured, but Kihyun wasn’t convinced.

“He’s just dumb” Lucy chuckled. “You are so damn obvious all the time” she added and Kihyun growled.

“Shut up. I’m not!” the purple haired denied but the others started teasing him after that, making him regret all his previous words.


	10. Accidentally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know this isn't having much success, and I know how weird this must be for all of you xD  
> So I want to thank the people that left kudos and comments <3   
> They make me so happy, you have no idea ^^
> 
> This is slowburn but I think this chapter will be interesting for you ;)
> 
> <3<3

Changkyun and Kihyun were having smoothies while going around the city that morning. It was Tuesday, two weeks after the zombie accident, and Kihyun was still trying to figure out Changkyun's thoughts. He wasn't Hollie, he couldn't read minds, but he was trying his best. They were talking and laughing, spending time together before their community service. Changkyun didn't have to go to school anymore, and Kihyun had a free day at work, so they decided to hang out for a while. “Hey, Catkyun” Kihyun said after laughing about a silly joke Changkyun cracked. “Have you ever been in a relationship before?” he asked, trying not to be so obvious.

“Nope” the younger replied. “I think I told you before” Changkyun frowned, taking a sip of his vanilla smoothie.

“Oh, I forgot…” Kihyun cursed mentally, hating the fact that Changkyun had such a good memory. “Me neither” the purple haired went on, trying to get more information.

“Really?” Changkyun seemed surprised to hear that, and he turned to look at Kihyun, confused.

“Yeah, it isn't easy…” the purple haired said. “I mean, being gay” he added because Changkyun didn't seem to get it.

“Oh! You are right” the younger smiled toothlessly. “I keep on forgetting you like men” he confessed. “Have you ever kissed someone?” Changkyun curiously asked, surprising Kihyun.

“Yes, I have” the purple haired answered. “You?” Kihyun wanted to keep on talking, he knew he would get somewhere. Changkyun was opening up more each day.

“No, I haven't” Changkyun chuckled. “I'm such a virgin” he joked, making Kihyun laugh. “My mom doesn't let me out, so I don't usually meet girls” he said, walking a little slower when he saw a giant stuffed animal in one of the shops. “Whoa! Look at that” he pointed at it, showing it to Kihyun.

“It’s awesome” the elder grinned at him. “Though I think that one suits you more” Kihyun added, pointing at a round cat. It had fluffy hair and was so cute. Changkyun glared at him the moment he saw it, and the elder laughed. “It was a joke, grumpy cat” he pushed the black haired softly, almost spilling his smoothie in the process. Changkyun was so weak sometimes, and Kihyun found it funny.

“Hyung, I’m curious” the younger paused, avoiding eye contact. “How does it feel like?” he asked, and Kihyun saw his cheeks turning red.

“What?” the purple haired frowned. He didn’t know if Changkyun meant kissing or something else.

“K-kissing a man” he shyly muttered, playing with his plastic glass. His hands were shaking a little as he held it, but it was extremely cold lately. Kihyun’s hands were trembling as well, so he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was nothing, though he did look nervous.

“Mm… nice? I guess” Kihyun replied. “I haven’t kissed a woman, so I don’t really know the difference” he said, and Changkyun looked up.

“Then, how do you know?” the black haired seemed confused.

“Well, how do you know you are straight?” Kihyun asked back and Changkyun didn’t answer, he just stared at the floor, thinking hard.

“I actually don’t” Changkyun admitted, and Kihyun widened his eyes. He wasn’t expecting that answer. He thought the younger was certain about his sexuality. “This is embarrassing” Changkyun chuckled. “You all seem to have everything figured out” he said, and Kihyun chuckled.

“You mean the community service group?” the purple haired asked, unsure of who he meant. Changkyun nodded in response, and Kihyun took a sip from his chocolate smoothie, realizing he had forgotten about it. “You shouldn’t feel ashamed about it” Kihyun placed his arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. “You will discover it when you finally kiss someone” he winked and the younger smiled.

“I guess you are right… I shouldn’t worry about it too much” the black haired told him, and they kept on walking. Kihyun wanted to smile widely at his discovery, but he stayed composed, pretending he didn't care about Changkyun's sexuality. “You won't tell the others, will you?” the younger stopped on his tracks, turning to look at Kihyun.

“I won't” the purple haired assured. “Though the others still think you are gay… I’m just telling you in case they mock you” Kihyun made Changkyun chuckle.

“Yeah, I know they do” the younger giggled. “Minhyuk is all day long trying to make me realize how gay I am” Changkyun said, and Kihyun sighed. Minhyuk was so damn annoying, and he thought he was doing the purple haired a favor by pushing Changkyun into figuring out his sexuality. “But I don’t really know” the younger admitted. “I’ve never thought about it that much since I was focused on my studies, and I didn’t like anyone” he talked and Kihyun was paying a lot of attention. He wanted to make it clear that he was there for Changkyun. “At some point I thought maybe I wasn’t made for relationships” he chuckled, and Kihyun did too, not wishing to look too serious when the younger clearly wasn’t.

“You are still young, Changkyun-ah” Kihyun patted his back in a comforting manner. “You can take your time and figure yourself out” the purple haired smiled toothlessly.

“Yeah, you are right, hyung!” Changkyun's grin was wide, and Kihyun felt his heart being squeezed inside his chest. The younger smiling authentically was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He couldn't get over it, even though they had known each other for two months and a half. His slightly crooked teeth, his eyes becoming two crescent moons, and his cute dimples were gorgeous. He usually liked taller guys with a lot of self-confidence, but Changkyun was a shy boy, the same height as him. He had nothing Kihyun would have liked before, though he realized his taste changed completely in the last few months. “I just have to wait for someone I like, right?” Changkyun interrupted his thoughts with those words and he nodded. They stared into each other's eyes in silence for a few seconds after that, and the younger seemed to be thinking hard about something. Kihyun would love to have Hollie's power at that moment, he was dying to know everything going on in Changkyun's mind. The latter wasn't simple, the purple haired couldn't figure him out easily.

Before Kihyun could say something, Changkyun blinked, turning his gaze back to the sidewalk. His smoothie was almost finished, so he sipped the rest in one go. “What is it? You seem a bit nervous” Kihyun said, not stopping his curiosity.

“I'm not!” Changkyun kind of yelled. “Sorry” he apologized, covering his mouth. “Hyung” he stared at Kihyun. “I was wondering if you like someone now” he added, and it was the purple haired's turn to become nervous. ‘Shit, what do I say?’ he thought, not sure of how to lie. Kihyun was pretty honest all the time, he didn't like lying. Though he knew Changkyun was oblivious and hadn't even figured his sexuality out, so it would be terrible to tell him how much he liked him.

“I do, actually” Kihyun replied, cursing mentally two seconds later.

“And how do you know you like him?” Changkyun asked in curiosity, throwing his empty glass to a near trash can. Kihyun thanked the heavens he didn’t ask who it was. In that situation he would have stuttered, and he hated looking weak in front of his crush.

“It’s simple” the purple haired started. “My heart speeds up inside my chest every time I see him, I love everything he does - even if he’s being stupid or embarrassing -, he makes me laugh a lot, and I feel the need of being with him all the fucking time. It’s kind of annoying, really” Kihyun said and Changkyun giggled. “Oh! And I miss him a lot when I don’t see him” he added, remembering how much he missed the younger when he was at work or at home. The times he was at work were the worst. He knew Changkyun was free because he didn’t have to go to school anymore and he was trapped there.

Changkyun thought about it after Kihyun answered. He seemed troubled and the purple haired watched him while he played with the hem of his jacket, avoiding eye contact as he did every time he felt nervous. “Do you find it hard to breathe?” he asked and Kihyun nodded. Changkyun widened his eyes at that, and almost fell as he tripped on his own feet. The elder held his arm with his free hand, preventing him from falling. His smoothie was still halfway, but he totally forgot about it. Changkyun’s questions and doubts made him forget about everything around him.

“Are you okay?” Kihyun stared at him, still holding his arm in case he tripped again.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine” Changkyun replied. “I just… I’m…” he paused, worriedly looking at Kihyun. “Nothing” he said. “Nevermind” he kept on walking in silence, keeping that troubled expression on his face.

“Kitty” the purple haired made him stop on his tracks. “You don’t seem okay” Kihyun touched his hair gently.

“I swear I’m fine” Changkyun grabbed both of Kihyun’s shoulders in a soft manner and smiled toothlessly at him. “I’m better now that I know what liking someone feels like” he said, and Kihyun’s heart sped up. Did he realize something after hearing the elder’s words? The purple haired wanted to keep on talking, but Changkyun started walking again, letting go of his shoulders. “Do you want to buy something to eat and go to the community centre? We could eat at the park, on that huge rock Hoseok-hyung lifted when we were trying to discover our powers” he suggested. “We could wait there”

“Sure!” Kihyun smiled, cursing mentally because he wanted to know more but he didn’t know what to ask. He couldn’t be that obvious. “The only problem is that I’m extremely full” he shook the smoothie in the air, showing it to Changkyun.

“Oh, me too. Maybe we could buy the food, take it there and eat it whenever we feel like it” the younger smiled.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea” Kihyun grinned, following the black haired around Seoul.

After spending a few more hours together at the community centre’s lake, Kihyun and Changkyun went into the building. As they walked, the younger thought about what his companion said earlier; about liking someone. Changkyun didn’t really know how it felt, but after hearing Kihyun’s words, he realized he actually had been liking someone the whole time. The group was right, he was gay. He had a crush on the person he thought to be the best friend he’d ever had, and he was still shocked. That funny thing he felt was his heart speeding up, and he missed Kihyun a lot when he wasn’t with him. Changkyun even wished the elder didn’t have a job so they could spend more time together, and they saw each other every day. ‘Well, shit’ he cursed mentally while he followed the purple haired through the gray corridors of the community centre.

The others were already at the locker room, and they stared at the two when they got in. “Hi” Minhyuk said. “It was about time” he added. “What were you doing by the lake?” he asked out of curiosity, getting up to circle his arms around their shoulders. Kihyun automatically pushed Minhyuk away, but Changkyun ignored him. Apparently, the others saw them hanging out when they arrived, but the younger was so concentrated in Kihyun he couldn’t notice anything else.

“We were waiting because we arrived earlier than usual…” Changkyun lied, not wishing to tell the others they had been together the whole day. He didn’t like hearing Hyungwon’s complaints, and he felt a little guilty for not inviting the others. But now that he knew he liked Kihyun for sure, he understood why he wanted to be alone with him. The black haired questioned that a lot in his mind before, though he didn’t find an answer and he gave up.

“Yeah, he’s telling the truth” Hollie raised a brow at him, and he cursed under his breath. The girl read his mind - obviously -, but she didn’t say anything, thankfully. She was usually very considerate. If Minhyuk had her power, it would be a mess. “Change quickly. Balloon-head came here and told us to hurry because we had a lot to do today” she added and the newcomers complied. While they changed, Changkyun sneaked a few glances at Kihyun, thinking about what to do. He discovered he liked him, and he wanted to maybe tell him. But he wasn’t sure how to do it. He had seen some of his classmates confessing their love, though none of them were gay and Changkyun was worried. ‘Am I gay or do I like Kihyun because of his personality?’ he asked himself and completely missed Hollie’s sigh. ‘Maybe I’m just confused because I haven’t liked anyone before’ his mind was clouded with thoughts; worries he never had before. “Stop thinking, embrace your destiny” Hollie whispered in his ear when she left the locker room with the others, and Changkyun blushed.

“What did she say?” Kihyun frowned in confusion. The younger didn’t know what to say, so he lied as quickly as he could.

“She said she needed my help with something… she didn’t say what” Changkyun palmed his face mentally because he would have to think of something later. Kihyun had a very good memory, he would surely remember and ask him about it when they left in the evening.

“That’s weird…” the purple haired was still frowning. “But I guess she likes you, so it’s not that weird she’s asking for your help” Kihyun added, changing his facial expression into a smile. “She’s always telling us not to mock you” the elder told him. “She sees you as her younger brother” he chuckled.

“Really?” he asked, surprised. Changkyun wasn’t perceptive when it came to those things.

“Yup, she said so a couple of times” Kihyun grinned. “Let’s go” he dragged the younger out of the locker room and they joined the others in the entrance hall.

“Finally!” Jongwoon yelled. “I’ll tell you what you will do” he said. “Firstly, I’ll change couples” he announced, making them all whine and complain. “Shh! Shut up” Jongwoon stopped them. “What are you? Kids?” he sighed and the 8 of them rolled their eyes. “You’ve been working this way for a long time and I’m bored, so I’ll change everything” their probation worker rubbed his palms together, letting out an evil laugh. “You, tall guy” he called Hyungwon.

“He doesn’t even know our names!” Jooheon growled.

“Shh… too much noise” Jongwoon shushed them again. “The tall guy with the tiny purple haired guy” he announced, and made Kihyun and Hyungwon get closer. “There’s a huge amount of garbage at the back, go and clean” he commanded, and the two of them started walking.

“I’m not tiny! He’s just too tall” the purple haired defended himself and Jongwoon laughed out loud. Kihyun sighed in annoyance, seeing no point in fighting with their probation worker. “See you later” he whispered to Changkyun, waving his hand with a soft smile resting on his features. The younger stared at him, feeling his heart hammering in his chest and remembering Kihyun’s explanation once more. He clearly had a crush on him, Hollie was right, he shouldn’t stop his feelings from growing. There was nothing wrong in liking someone.

“Second couple” Jongwoon shouted - his yells were quite low, actually, but Changkyun rarely saw him raising his voice -. “This green-eyed girl with the whiny short haired guy” he pointed at Lucy and Jooheon, making them grunt. They didn’t get along well, and Lucy was too lazy to have such a grumpy partner. “You’ll go remove graffities all around the building. Some boys made new ones last night” he ordered and Lucy grunted louder. The couple went to grab things from the storage room and then left, pushing those glass doors open in an angry manner. “Third couple will be muscle man with…” he looked around, enjoying his job more than ever. “This blondie” he chose Minhyuk, and Hoseok sighed. He wanted to be with Hollie as always, but Changkyun got to be with her. Hoseok wasn't happy. “You will go there” Jongwoon pointed at a pile of clothes people had donated. “And organize every single article of clothing by color and type” he smiled, watching them leave. “And the two of you will go around the building and clean every single glass window and door you see” their probation worker laughed evilly. “Go to the storage room, there are buckets and window cleaners, and then go get some water” he commanded and Hollie rolled her eyes.

“Come on” she said, and Changkyun followed her in silence. The storage room’s metal door was already open. Jooheon and Lucy were still grabbing their tools, leaving them only one bucket to use. Once they left, Hollie handed Changkyun the window cleaners and took a bottle of a cleaning product that looked useful. After that, they went outside and decided to start from the farthest end of the building. As they walked around the corner, Changkyun crashed against someone, who made him fall backwards.

“Oh, I’m sorry” it was Son Hyunwoo, carrying more clothes in a bag. Changkyun widened his eyes and thought about how awkward it would be when he found Minhyuk organizing his donation clothes. “Hey, do you know where Minhyuk is?” the big man asked. “I’ve been wanting to talk to him since… you know what… but he keeps on ignoring me” Son Hyunwoo seemed really interested in Minhyuk, but the younger doubted he would leave Jooheon any time soon. He loved Jooheon a lot. “I really like him” the man said. “He made me realize I’m gay” he added and they both widened their eyes, exchanging worried glances.

“Shit” Hollie cursed. “Look, he’s inside organizing clothes” the girl stared at Changkyun, not knowing how to tell Hyunwoo the blond didn’t like him that much. “But he’s in love with Jooheon” she patted the man’s shoulder. “I think you should try to find someone else” she suggested, and Changkyun nodded by her side.

“Oh, I see… in that case, I won’t bother him anymore” Son Hyunwoo smiled toothlessly. “Thanks for telling me” he told Hollie. “I’ll see you around” he said before leaving, walking back to the community centre.

“I feel bad for him” Hollie stated in pity. She then took Changkyun’s wrist and kept on going, finally reaching the farthest window they could find. They had a long way to go, there were at least a hundred windows around the centre, and Changkyun whined. Hollie was pretty fast at cleaning, but he was damn slow. He was trying his best but the girl always ended up helping him with his part. “What do you say if I clean them and then you dry them with the rag? That way we’ll be faster” she suggested and the younger agreed. When they changed their tasks, it all went faster. Hollie was right, she cleaned the glass so fast it gave Changkyun the exact time to finish drying the previous window. “Great! You are doing good” the girl encouraged the black haired, making him feel less nervous. He was feeling that way because he knew he was a burden for her. Kihyun was different, they worked similarly, but Hollie was very efficient. Changkyun didn’t imagine Hoseok with her. Maybe she was growling all day with her boyfriend. “Actually, he’s not” Hollie suddenly said. “I’m sorry! I cannot help it” she apologized for reading his mind.

“It’s fine!” Changkyun assured with a smile as he dried the glass diligently.

“You’ll be surprised to know that Hoseok-oppa is actually very hardworking and he does everything well” Hollie seemed proud and the younger found it cute. “We are not cute, stop that” she ordered and Changkyun chuckled.

“You are, even if you don’t want to accept it” he earned a growl from his companion.

“By the way, you aren’t a burden either. Don’t worry too much” Hollie patted his back. “But I can tell you miss working with Kihyun” she winked.

“Y-you won’t tell-

“No, I won’t. Relax” Hollie petted his hair as if he was a puppy. “So, you finally accepted you are gay” she added, making Changkyun blush. “How did you realize it?” she asked, cleaning another window.

“We were talking about relationships with Kihyun-hyung today... and he asked me some questions” Changkyun replied. “We ended up talking about kisses and how he realized he liked men” he explained. “And then I asked him if he liked someone... and he said yes” he told Hollie, pausing to dry the lowest part of the glass. “So I asked him how he knew he liked someone” Changkyun said and Hollie seemed confused.

“You didn’t know it?” the girl tilted her head to the side.

“I never liked anyone before, so I didn’t... until Kihyun-hyung told me about it” Changkyun answered. “And I realized I like him” he confessed out loud, and it was weird. Every single first time felt unfamiliar and strange, and that was no exception. “I like Kihyun-hyung...” he whispered to himself, repeating it to be able to embrace it.

“That’s good!” Hollie grinned. “Are you planning to tell him?” she asked, moving to the next window.

“Yes, I’ll do it! But I want to wait a little so my brain accepts it completely” he said, and the girl nodded.

“That’s a good idea” Hollie stepped away from the windows to make sure they were doing a good job. “If you want to, I can read Kihyun’s mind to know who he likes” she winked, but Changkyun widened his eyes. He didn’t want that, he felt he was cheating. “Okay, I’m not doing it” Hollie took it back before Changkyun said anything. “You are such an honest little boy, aren’t you?” she asked, making the younger chuckle.

“I just hate cheating” the black haired replied. “And I’d like to get a spontaneous reaction” he assured, flashing Hollie a toothless smile.

“How cute” the girl told him, pinching his cheek. “Just don’t kiss him out of the blue like Seokkie-oppa did. I thought he just wanted to fuck at first” she shook her head in disapproval, but Changkyun laughed.

“Poor hyung, he was so scared after you pushed him” the younger said, earning a slight punch from Hollie.

“What did he expect?! He kissed me!” she yelled, splashing a bit of water on Changkyun’s jumpsuit. “Ups, sorry” she giggled. “My point is, Changkyunnie, don’t rush things” Hollie advised, and Changkyun nodded.

“Don’t worry, I won’t” he replied, drying glasses faster. He was getting better and better each second, and they surprisingly took less than expected in cleaning all windows and doors. Hollie was very nice, and Changkyun didn’t mind working with her at all. Even if he missed Kihyun a lot, he believed Jongwoon chose a good partner for him.

The moment they returned to the entrance hall, Hyungwon and Kihyun were returning as well. They were walking through the long corridor that lead to the back door of the place, and they were talking a lot. Changkyun got surprised because Kihyun usually complained, saying he didn’t like Hyungwon. But they seemed to be very comfortable as they went closer to them. “Such great teamwork!” the purple haired said, hi fiving the tall man. “We did great, guys, you should have seen us!” Kihyun told the other two, and Changkyun pouted. What if Kihyun liked working with Hyungwon more?

“We did great too! Right?” Hollie asked the younger, placing her hand on his shoulder. Changkyun nodded, smiling even if his heart was being squeezed in his chest; and not in a good way. Kihyun grinned at them and went to Changkyun’s side, staring at him intensely.

“Did Hollie read your mind a lot?” the purple haired asked as a joke, though the younger was still trying to process his first jealousy attack. Kihyun’s smile dropped a bit, and he touched Changkyun’s forehead in a worried manner. “Are you feeling well?” he asked and made the black haired realize he was being stupid. After that he did his best to smile and told Kihyun it was nothing. Hollie was frowning, and Changkyun knew she read his mind. However, she didn’t say anything. She limited herself to watch the scene in silence. “If you say so...” Kihyun didn’t seem convinced, but Changkyun would make sure those emotions faded as soon as possible. “Hey, do you want to go have dinner after this? We could eat all together and then head back home” Kihyun proposed, directing his words at everyone.

“Yes, that would be fun” Hollie answered with a soft grin.

“I’m in too” Hyungwon said.

“You?” Kihyun turned to glance at Changkyun.

“Yes, I’ll go” the younger hoped his mother didn’t scold him later, but he wanted to be with Kihyun a bit longer.

“Good” the purple haired patted his back, resting his arm there right after. “Let’s wait for the others” Kihyun said. Minhyuk and Hoseok were almost done with those clothes, the pile was gone and replaced by some nicely folded clothing. Lucy and Jooheon, on the other hand, pushed the glass doors open - leaving their fingers marked on it and making Hollie sigh -. They seemed to have no energy left in their bodies, and they were both grumpy. A negative aura could be seen around them, and the environment felt heavy near them. “We are getting lunch together after this, are you in?” Kihyun asked them, and Lucy automatically grinned.

“Yay!” she jumped in joy. “I’m so hungry!” she yelled. “Those damn graffitis were so hard to erase” she said, and Changkyun could imagine. Jongwoon was crazy if he thought they would be able to wipe them off easily. Hoseok and Minhyuk greeted Son Hyunwoo to then join them, and they all went to put their casual clothes back on.

Later, while they walked to the nearest fast food restaurant, Kihyun placed his hand on Changkyun’s shoulder, slowly dragging him back not to let the others notice. “Hey, are you sure you are okay? You seem a little off” the purple haired whispered in his ear, making him shiver. “Was it something Hollie said?” he asked, and Changkyun chuckled.

“It’s nothing, I swear” the black haired wasn’t lying, his momentary jealousy was gone already. Maybe Kihyun thought he was off due to his quietness. He hadn’t talked much since they left and that must have confused Kihyun.

“Is it because of our talk?” the purple haired was staring at him, worried, so Changkyun stopped him in the middle of the hallway and held his shoulders to keep him in place.

“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry, hyung” Changkyun assured, looking into his eyes. “Our talk was very useful, I swear” he smiled, and Kihyun blushed.

“O-okay” the elder muttered under his breath. “I’m g-glad, then” he added and they both kept on walking, running a bit to join the group once again.

Days went by and Kihyun was starting to get bored of working with Hyungwon. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it; the tall one was surprisingly efficient. Maybe Kihyun’s push was what he needed to be hardworking because he was always with Lucy, who was exactly like him: extremely lazy. But he still missed Changkyun while they were doing their community service, and he wanted to work with him. Hyungwon would be fine with Lucy, they were so similar. Since the mall incident, they had been fighting even more and then kissing the daylights out of each other to stop their arguments. The purple haired covered Changkyun’s eyes every time it happened, making him giggle a little. After discovering the younger hadn’t kissed anyone in his entire life, he felt like protecting him even more. Those make out sessions Hyungwon and Lucy shared were kind of heated, and Kihyun didn’t want Changkyun to think kisses were always like that.

In addition, they also found Jooheon and Minhyuk having sex in the storage room thrice in those two weeks. Kihyun was starting to believe winter was like spring to them, maybe their hormones went crazy in cold weather? He didn’t get it. He just felt that being around Changkyun more - like before Jongwoon changed couples - would let him protect the younger better from those sex machines. Hollie and Hoseok only shared soft pecks, nothing more, thankfully. At least Kihyun could be around one couple without panicking and having to run to Changkyun’s side to cover his eyes.

That Saturday morning, Kihyun was chewing on his strawberry gum while walking to the community centre. He had earmuffs on on top of his earphones as he listened to his hardcore music, and his face was hidden under his hamster-themed scarf. His hands were in his coat’s pockets, preventing the cold air from freezing them. The sky was gray, matching the pavement of that long path the community centre had. It seemed it was about to snow and he cursed mentally because he forgot his big fluffy jacket. _‘If only I was cold-proof instead of having this useless power’_ he thought and imagined all the possibilities. If they had different abilities, they would be able to achieve great things. They would have surely stopped that man at the mall faster, or that little kid, or the psycho, or anyone who caused trouble around the city. _‘We could be superheroes’_ he smiled, loving the idea. Kihyun was obsessed with superheroes when he was a little kid, and he admired them so much.

His thoughts went on as he reached his destiny and pushed the glass doors open. The community centre was completely empty, and he wondered if his group was there. The purple haired went past Jongwoon’s office - in which the lights were still off, indicating the probation worker hadn’t arrived yet -, and headed to the locker room. Kihyun widened his eyes when he found Changkyun there, getting a pleasant surprise. The younger was sitting there, listening to his soft music and looking extremely focused. He had his phone in his hands and was trying hard to place a new cover on it, failing terribly. He didn’t even notice Kihyun’s presence, and the elder assumed his earphones were too loud for him to hear anything else. A bottle of water which was on the bench right next to Changkyun exploded as he started growing frustrated, and Kihyun muffled his laughter with his palm.

That boy was the reason he liked community service, and he never thought he would like a crap like that. Doing things for the community wasn’t Kihyun’s thing. He was there due to a giant graffiti he made, and he didn’t care he was ruining a completely white wall. The purple haired stared at the black haired with a playful grin, enjoying his failure and his frustrated pout as lockers kept on exploding. Kihyun didn’t get how a person could suck at placing a cover on a cellphone, but Changkyun usually surprised him. Sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in a - very funny - bad way.

When he was done making fun of the younger inside his head, he approached the bench, snatching the phone from his delicate hands and placing the cover successfully on. “Done” Kihyun muttered, startling Changkyun big time. “You’re welcome, kitty” he added and made the black haired chuckle. The latter was already wearing that awful jumpsuit, which had a patch on his leg and a blue stain from the day they painted the boxes. Kihyun decided to change too before the sisters arrived. They pretended not to watch, but the purple haired was pretty sure they sneakily did.

“Ah, I seriously hate my power” Changkyun whined. “What’s the use of it if everything around me gets destroyed every time I get frustrated or angry or nervous!” he yelled in frustration and a locker next to him exploded - well, those didn’t actually explode, the doors just suddenly opened and hit the metal surface from the next locker -. “Jeez!” he touched his chest, trying to calm his raced heart down. “I wish I had Hyungwon-hyung's power” Changkyun sighed, being all whiny about it.

“Well, mine isn't any better” Kihyun zipped up his orange jumpsuit and closed his locker. He then turned to look at Changkyun, locking his gaze with the boy's. “I mean, it's not that bad… it would have been cool if I had controlled people every time I wanted… but this is like a joke” he growled, going to sit by Changkyun's side as he pocketed his earphones.

“But it's still better than mine, hamster-hyung” the black haired's orbs were staring intensely into his own, making him shiver a bit. Changkyun was doing that a lot after their talk, and Kihyun couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did he glance at him so often lately? “Last night…” Changkyun kept on talking and his thoughts were interrupted. “...I was drinking some coke while reading comics and guess what” he paused to give Kihyun time to guess.

“Mm… your fridge exploded?” Kihyun replied, joking a little. Changkyun laughed, slapping his arm softly.

“Nope” he denied it, even if he knew Kihyun was joking. “My brother slapped my nape and his coffee exploded…” the younger sighed, but the purple haired laughed out loud. Changkyun's brother was a douche and he deserved it. The image of his cup bursting was something Kihyun found amusing. “It's not funny… the cup was in his hand so he has a deep cut now… together with some burnt skin” he rested his face in his palms, feeling guilty. Kihyun made circular motions around his companion's back in a soothing manner.

“It wasn't your fault, kitty cat” the elder whispered, helping Changkyun relax. “Wasn't he the one who slapped you?” he asked and the younger lifted his head, staring at Kihyun once more. “Don't you think he deserves it?” the purple haired said, and Changkyun thought about it.

“You are right! He knows I hate people hitting me and he did it anyway!” he stood up, smiling. “Wait” he sat back down. “Isn't it too much? I hate my brother, but maybe a deep cut in his hand is a bit too much…” he let out a long sigh. “I feel so bad, even if he doesn't blame it on me because he knows nothing about my power” Kihyun could feel his guilt. “He blames it on the ghost” they both giggled at that.

“Don't feel bad” Kihyun said, patting his thigh gently. “You are a good person, Changkyun” the purple haired petted his hair a little. “You don't even deserve to be here” he assured. “You were helping someone… even if you were stupid enough to help robbers…” he made the younger laugh once again.

“Damn stupid I was” the black haired shook his head in disbelief. “Thanks, hyung” Changkyun said after a short silence. “I think you are a good person too, even if you made a huge graffiti on your enemy's wall” they both giggled at that, staying in silence when their laughter dissipated.

Kihyun knew the others would arrive any second, so his desire to be alone with Changkyun became stronger. Kihyun got distracted for a few seconds, thinking about how to seduce the younger without scaring him. He was new to everything, he didn't even know what it felt to like someone, so it was challenging. _‘Challenge accepted’_ he thought, smiling to himself.

When he turned to the side, he found the younger staring at him. Those chocolate brown eyes caught Kihyun's attention from the moment he first saw him and he couldn't help to wonder what it would feel to have them looking at him in a different way, a loving way. Kihyun never had a proper boyfriend, and Changkyun seemed to be the perfect ‘first love’.

While they stared at each other, Kihyun felt himself getting lost in the younger's intense gaze. He didn't realize how much he was craving for those lips to kiss him until Changkyun leaned in, locking their lips in an innocent kiss. Kihyun widened his eyes, not knowing how to react. Everything seemed like a dream, but he relaxed when the black haired's soft flesh started moving against his own. The elder closed his lids, enjoying the moment and forgetting about their surroundings. Their hands didn't reach for the other, they kept them on their respective thighs. They weren't that experienced, they were experimenting, and Kihyun's heart was speeding up so much he felt it would burst.

Their lips moved for long minutes, and Kihyun was on cloud nine until they finally parted and Changkyun's expression changed, showing extreme confusion. “Hyung? Did you say something? I think I spaced out big time” the black haired said, making Kihyun feel mortified. He had just controlled Changkyun unconsciously and he hated his power more than ever at that moment.

“Hi~!” a voice echoed around the locker room, and they saw Minhyuk, walking alongside Jooheon, stealing pecks from time to time. “What were you doing?” he asked and Changkyun answered with a simple ‘nothing’. Hollie and Lucy appeared seconds later and, slowly, all the group joined them. Kihyun was still in shock, trying to process what just happened. He kissed his crush, but the latter didn't remember a thing. The situation was terrible, and he couldn't help to stand up.

“I'll be back in a second! I think my money fell from my pocket when I arrived!” he announced, pretending everything was fine. Changkyun's worried eyes followed him, but he didn't realize it. He only stopped when he reached the entrance hall, and his breathing was heavy. “What have I done?” he asked himself, touching his lips with his fingers as he recalled all the sensations he felt while kissing Changkyun's gorgeous lips. He tasted like coffee and cookies, and the elder could smell his perfume. His addictive scent.

Kihyun sat on the floor and hugged his legs, burying his face on his knees and regretting his whole existence. He wanted to control everyone but not Changkyun, not him. He knew he wouldn't be able to forget that incredible kiss, and he wanted to punch his face so hard.

“Hyung!” it was Changkyun's voice, and he panicked when he heard it. “Are you okay? Did you find your money? Let me help you” when he said that, Jongwoon arrived and stared at the both of them.

“I see you are eager to start” their probation worker smirked. “Just wait a few moments until I get everything ready in my office” he winked and left, making Changkyun roll his eyes.

“Don't worry, I couldn't find it but I'll live” Kihyun replied to Changkyun's questions, lying as best as he could.

“I can borrow you some money if you want to” the black haired grinned, sitting by his side on the floor.

“Thank you, kitty” he ruffled his hair, leaving it all messy and adorable. _‘I want to kiss you again so bad’_ he thought, biting his lower lip in an attempt to stop his mind from thinking about the kiss. Changkyun combed his black locks, whining in the process and making Kihyun giggle. “Shall we go back to the locker room?” he asked.

“Mm… how about we wait here?” the younger suggested. “I don't feel like getting up” he rested his head on Kihyun's shoulder, and his heart sped up.

“Me neither” the purple haired smiled, enjoying Changkyun's presence. _‘I'll confess, I promise’_ he thought, resting his own head on the younger's.


	11. Exasperation

“Ah! Fucker” Hyungwon yelled when Kihyun threw a tiny snowball at him. They were hanging out at the park that Sunday afternoon, and the purple haired decided to start a snow fight. Hyungwon was too weak, so his shots didn’t reach anyone and it was too funny. Hoseok was laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe, and everyone hit him with snowballs. It was a bad idea though. In revenge, he collected as much snow as he could and lifted it up with his strong arms. He then threw it at the group, but the only one who received it was Changkyun because he wasn’t fast enough to dodge it. The younger was distracted and fell backwards due to the enormous snowball. The black haired whined, pretending to cry, and Hoseok couldn’t stop laughing. Actually, no one could stop laughing. They were having so much fun that Kihyun could momentarily forget about the kiss.

After that eventful Wednesday, Kihyun had been thinking a lot about the kiss. He couldn’t get over the feeling of those incredible lips against his own, and he was dying to try again. The purple haired stared at the whiny baby next to him and his heart raced. Changkyun was cute all day long in Kihyun’s eyes, and that wasn’t good when he was fighting to keep his composure. When the younger turned to look back at him, he grabbed snow and threw it at his face. Kihyun managed to cover it with his arm, and made fun of Changkyun. “You missed” he stuck his tongue out, and the black haired grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. He was still sitting on the floor covered in snow, and he stayed there as the others kept on playing. Changkyun gave up so easily, Kihyun found it hilarious. “Aw, what a cute kitty” the purple haired approached the younger and pinched his cheeks to annoy him. He succeeded, earning an adorable pout from him. “You look even cuter when you get angry, so it's not working, kitty” Kihyun said, making Changkyun complain.

“I don't look cute!” he denied, taking a bit of snow from his lap and hitting Kihyun's face with it. The purple haired couldn't dodge it because he wasn't expecting it and was too close. Changkyun didn't usually get revenge, he just complained. After Kihyun gasped in surprise, the younger started giggling, forgetting about his anger. The purple haired chuckled at how fast his mood changed, and poked his nose with his index finger, making him blush slightly. “Hyung, watch out!” Changkyun warned, breaking eye contact. But before the purple haired could react, one of Hoseok's snow bombs hit his nape.

“Ouch! Hoseok-hyung, it hurts!” Kihyun shouted, caressing his own head. They went on playing for a while, until they were all exhausted and lied lifelessly on the snow-covered grass. “Hyungwon-ah, you suck” Kihyun told the gray haired, making him laugh.

“At least I’m not 3 feet tall” the DJ said, and the others let out a horse laugh.

“I’m not 3 feet tall. What are you saying, dumbass?” Kihyun rolled his eyes and kicked Hyungwon’s foot as hard as he could. “Hey, do you celebrate Christmas?” the purple haired asked everyone, wishing to know if they wanted to do anything after the annoying part of hanging out with their families.

“Yes” they all said, and Kihyun nodded.

“I go to my grandparents’ house” Hoseok smiled. “My parents are dead and I never met them, so my grandma took care of me” he added, explaining the reason.

“We’ll be alone because our parents live in Canada, so if you want to come to our apartment after midnight, we’ll be there” Hollie said and Kihyun thought it was a good idea.

“I still live with my parents, and they usually don’t let me go out after midnight” Jooheon lifted his hand to speak.

“Yeah, same here” Changkyun pouted, and Kihyun sighed. He wanted the younger to be there, otherwise it was pointless. The purple haired thought it would be awesome to confess while giving him a Christmas present. But it wouldn’t be possible if he wasn’t there.

“Minhyuk? Hyungwon?” Hollie asked.

“I’ll be with my friend Ilhoon, we’ll go to a club and have some fun” Hyungwon replied, and Lucy rolled her eyes. He found Hyungwon’s habits stupid. “But I can go to your place after it” he smiled and Hollie chuckled.

“Only if you are sober” she joked and hi fived with her sister. Hyungwon whined, though didn’t say anything. He was used to those mocking comments the others made from time to time, and he knew he had no way to defend himself.

“I’ll be with my huge family. I’ll be silent while they criticize me and repeat how gay I am” Minhyuk chuckled. “After I started community service, they all discovered I’m gay… and it wasn’t pretty because they found out what I was doing…” the blond said, and Kihyun felt bad for him. It was the first time he didn’t want to punch Minhyuk’s face. “I’m really sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to go anywhere after Christmas. They like opening the presents and my mom doesn’t let me leave” the blond explained. “I’ll be shining in the darkness” he joked and the others chuckled.

“That’s awful, Minhyuk-ah” Hoseok stretched his arm to pat Minhyuk’s back in comfort. “We can go and rescue you with our awesome powers” the muscled one made the blond laugh. “Wait, but you said you didn’t live with your parents!” Hoseok suddenly screamed.

“I don’t, I only spend Christmas with them” Minhyuk explained and made the muscular man understand. They remained silent after that, contemplating the sky while lying on the white snow. The place was full of people playing around and building snowmen, and it was relaxing for them. Kihyun turned to the side and glanced at Changkyun for a few seconds, thinking about how glad he was they had to go do their community service even on Christmas. Since he wouldn’t be able to see him after midnight, he wanted to at least see him before. ‘I will confess after the others leave’ the purple haired thought, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. He wasn’t good at confessing, but he would try his best. Changkyun was worth it. “Hey, Heony, shall we leave?” Minhyuk asked Jooheon, winking at him.

“Oh! Yes, let’s go” the younger male said, quickly getting up. “See you tomorrow” he added as he dragged the blond out of the park. The others looked at each other until the two sisters stood up as well, leaving them. The girls had to leave before the sky went completely dark, and they didn’t hesitate. Hoseok pouted after receiving a goodbye kiss from Hollie, and he decided to follow the sisters in order to send them home.

“Kihyun, would you like to take the bus with me?” Hyungwon asked and Kihyun didn’t know what to say. They lived nearby, but the purple haired wished to stay alone with Changkyun for a while. Kihyun turned to the side and swore the younger looked extremely sad. Was he okay? His face was serious and the purple haired noticed a vague pout on his lips.

“Yeah, sure” Kihyun replied, not being able to think about a way to say no. Though before he stood up, Hyungwon motioned with his hand for him to wait.

“I’ll be right back, I want food” the tall one said, running to the nearest food stand he could find. Kihyun and Changkyun stayed there in silence. The purple haired wanted to say something but his words were stuck in his throat, so he did what came to his mind. He grabbed a lot of snow and threw it at Changkyun’s pouty face, making him fall backwards. The younger pretended to cry, but then quickly formed a snowball in his hands to attack Kihyun. They played for a few seconds and the purple haired noticed they were getting closer and closer. When they were only inches apart, Kihyun jumped at Changkyun. He held him there with his body weight and covered his torso with snow, laughing at his whines.

Kihyun was having fun, so he didn’t realize he was sitting on top of the younger until they stopped. Changkyun was breathing heavily under him, letting small chuckles come out from time to time, and Kihyun couldn’t help to feel nervous. He remembered how the black haired’s lips felt against his own, he remembered those soft and innocent moves, and he started craving for another kiss again. “Changkyun-ah” Kihyun whispered, making Changkyun stop chuckling. “I...” he paused and the younger frowned in confusion. His upper body was covered in snow, and he started shivering while Kihyun thought about a good way of voicing his feelings out.

“H-hyung” the black haired called as his teeth clashed. “C-can you l-let m-me move?” he asked and the elder laughed nervously.

“Of course” he answered, moving to sit by Changkyun’s side instead. The younger quickly shook the snow off and stared at Kihyun, waiting for him to go on. “I want you to know something” the purple haired said, trying his best not to panic. “I want you to know who I like” he took a deep breath, watching his companion’s eyes widen in surprise. “I like-

“Kihyun-ah! I’m here” Hyungwon stopped by their side and rested his hands on his knees, supporting his weight as he recovered his breath. “Let’s go home” he stood up properly and Kihyun cursed mentally.

“Where’s your food?” the purple haired asked.

“I ate it” the tall one replied. “I bought a meat brochette and I finished it before getting here” he explained and Kihyun chuckled. “Are you coming Changkyun-ah?” Hyungwon then asked the younger, and he nodded. The purple haired could feel his curiosity from afar. They were side by side as they walked to the bus stop, and Kihyun was dying to tell him, but he couldn’t do it with Hyungwon there. “See you tomorrow” the gray haired greeted Changkyun.

“See you, kitty” Kihyun said, waving his hand sadly at him.

“Um... bye...” the younger was still curious and the purple haired could feel his inner pain. Kihyun was sure he wouldn’t forget about it, but that was a good thing. He wanted to tell him. He desperately wanted to tell him.

That night, when he was about to go to sleep after taking a shower, his cellphone vibrated. Kihyun took it and opened Changkyun’s message.

_Hyung, who is it?_

_I’m so curious_

_I’ll tell you one of these days when we are alone_

_I don’t want anyone else to find out_

Kihyun lied, trying to make him believe he liked someone else. He didn’t think telling him through text messages would be brave. Besides, he really wished to see his reaction. In case the other liked him back, he wanted to be able to kiss him and hug him tightly.

_Fiiiineee~_

“Such a whiny baby” Kihyun whispered to himself, rolling his eyes. Jihoon walked past his bedroom door and sighed, knowing perfectly fine who he was talking to.

_Bye, kitty cat_

_Sleep well :)_

_Thanks, hyung!_

_You too ^^_

Kihyun smiled and left his cellphone on the nightstand, covering his body with his warm blankets.

“...then you have to bring him here, under the mistletoe, and he won’t have other choice” Hoseok said, explaining his silly plan for Kihyun to kiss Changkyun. It was Christmas Eve and their probation worker ordered them to decorate the entire community centre with Christmas lights, trees and mistletoe. Kihyun and Hyungwon were assigned to work with Hoseok and Minhyuk, while the two sisters went outside with Changkyun and Jooheon.

“I don’t know… maybe he won’t get it” Kihyun replied. Changkyun was blinded with innocence when it came to relationships, and he hadn’t kissed anyone yet. Well, only Kihyun, but he couldn’t even remember it.

“Is he that dumb?” Minhyuk asked, giggling like a maniac afterwards. The purple haired sighed and punched the blond’s arm.

“He’s not dumb, he’s just not used to it” Kihyun tried to defend his crush, but he was a little dumb sometimes.

“Oh, poor baby” Minhyuk made fun of his answer. “You have to grab his hair and kiss the daylights out of him, Yoo Kihyun!” he added and made the purple haired sigh louder. “And then maybe suck him off-

“Oh God, how can you be such a hoe?” Hoseok interrupted his words before he could say anything else.

“I don’t know, it’s just my nature” the blond raised his shoulders, making the muscled one chuckle.

“Wait, you like Changkyun?” Hyungwon suddenly understood what was happening, and Kihyun couldn’t help to laugh out loud. The purple haired didn’t tell the tall one his personal things, they just talked about their hobbies or what they liked to eat while they worked together.

“And you realize it now” Minhyuk rolled his eyes. “We’ve been talking about our ‘Get Changkyun’ plan this whole time and you didn’t get it?” he said, shaking his head in disapproval. “You even asked the same question a long time ago, dickhead”

“I wasn’t listening!” Hyungwon crossed his arms over his chest, letting two mistletoes fall from his hands. The bags full of ornaments and small Christmas trees were right by his legs, and the mistletoes fell into one of the bags. “Did I really ask? I don’t remember” Hyungwon was so absent-minded all the time.

“Nothing new” Kihyun patted Hyungwon’s back. “He’s such a terrible listener” he chuckled, making the tall one pout. “Since you weren’t listening, I like Changkyun a lot but he’s such a virgin and I don’t think the plan will work” he explained and Hyungwon laughed. “And I haven’t told you this before… but we kissed days ago…” he confessed and the others widened their eyes comically.

“What?! And he hasn’t realized you like him? He’s dumber than I thought” Minhyuk said with disappointment in his eyes.

“I accidentally controlled him… it’s been such a nightmare since that morning” Kihyun admitted. “I really feel like kissing him again… but he doesn't remember anything and it's so hard for me” the purple haired pretended to cry.

“I would have kissed him already” Minhyuk told him, making everyone chuckle.

“You would have fucked him already” Hyungwon said, laughing out loud after it.

“That’s so true” Hoseok talked and the blond raised his shoulders, admitting he would indeed do it if he were Kihyun. “Come on, Kihyunnie, just try my plan! It will work, I'm sure of it” he added, excitedly looking at Kihyun. The latter was hanging ornaments from one of the walls as he nodded, deciding to give Hoseok's plan a shot. Changkyun had been asking who he liked those last days and maybe he could kiss him and then finally tell him. His curiosity would be over and it was good.

Finishing their task, Kihyun went to the main hall together with the other three. Fortunately, the sisters and the two boys were returning. Hoseok was already getting excited about the plan and the purple haired saw him distracting the sisters and Jooheon. When Kihyun heard Hoseok's sign - it was one of his stupid phrases -, he took Changkyun's hand and dragged him through the gray corridors. The purple haired clearly remembered the place where the biggest mistletoe was, and he made sure it was that one the moment he stopped under it. The younger stared at him in confusion so Kihyun decided to start talking. "Is it too cold outside?" the purple haired asked, smiling fondly at Changkyun.

"It is" the younger replied. "You wouldn't be able to survive out there" he joked, knowing how Kihyun hated cold. They both chuckled at those words, but then Changkyun became serious. "But, you know, it was truly cold outside... I think a storm is slowly developing" the younger said, making Kihyun frown. "It was snowing so much, and I really felt as if I would end up buried there" he confessed, worrying the elder. Maybe that wasn't the moment for Hoseok's plan. If something was happening out there, it would be better to check it out. Kihyun contemplated on what to do but then remembered Hoseok's enthusiasm and Minhyuk's insistence and decided to finally do it.

"Oh!" the purple haired pretended he had just seen the mistletoe and successfully caught the younger's attention. Changkyun looked up and chuckled, keeping his eyes on the object for a few seconds before realizing what it meant. When his brain finally processed everything, he lowered his gaze and stared into Kihyun's eyes. The black haired's orbs showed concern, and the elder found it cute. "Mistletoe" Kihyun said, emphasizing it.

"Y-yeah" Changkyun giggled nervously.

"I would really enjoy kissing the one I like here" Kihyun stepped forward, going a bit closer to the younger. It was so obvious he liked Changkyun, the latter couldn't be that oblivious, right?

"That would be awesome, hyung... I hope you manage to bring him here" the black haired replied. 'Is he fucking serious?' Kihyun thought, not believing what he had just heard. He stepped even closer and lowered his gaze to Changkyun's gorgeous lips in an attempt to make himself even clearer.

"Changkyun, look at me" the purple haired ordered. "I already brought h-

He was about to tell Changkyun everything when the whole building shook violently. Kihyun fell into Changkyun's arms and squeezed his shoulders, looking around in confusion. "What's happening?" the purple haired asked and the building shook once again.

"I don't know!" Changkyun yelled when a loud storm-like noise started resonating all over. Kihyun felt the younger's slim arms squeezing his figure tightly, and even if he knew they might have been in danger, he smiled toothlessly.

"Guys!" Hyungwon's voice echoed around the community centre, and then Jongwoon's voice followed.

"Criminals! Where are you? We have to evacuate the building! There's a huge snow storm outside!" their probation worker shouted, and Kihyun took Changkyun's and Hyungwon's hands to drag them both to the main hall. The others were already there, including Jongwoon, and the purple haired's jaw dropped when he saw the windows. The whole community centre was covered in snow and they wouldn't be able to leave, it was impossible. "What the-" their probation worker said, stopping midway, completely startled.

"Hey" Hollie whispered. "Make him sleep" she told Hyungwon, who was closer. The gray haired reacted a bit late, but he managed to put Jongwoon to sleep before he asked any questions. "Good" Hollie smiled. "Now, listen, I saw a woman in the middle of the snow while we decorated the outside of the building" the girl explained and Kihyun was surprised at how observant she was.

"I saw her too!" Changkyun raised his hand to speak, like the good boy he was.

"Huh?" Lucy and Jooheon frowned at the same time, confused.

"Nevermind, you two" Hollie rolled her eyes at them. "I think she controls the snow" the girl told them.

"She's like Frozone!" Lucy, Hyungwon, Hoseok, Kihyun, Jooheon and Minhyuk said in unison, and Hyungwon started laughing right after.

"Who's Frozone?" Changkyun asked, and all of them turned to look at him.

"Shame on you, kid" the blond shook his head as he spoke, faking disgust.

"He's from The Incredibles" Hollie explained. “But he produces ice… I don’t think he controls the snow, guys” she clarified.

"Don't explain, he doesn't deserve an explanation if he doesn't know the movie" Minhyuk kept on joking but Changkyun sighed, something that told Kihyun he didn't get the joke at all. The blond pretended to be angry a lot, and the younger didn't like that at all. He didn't get why Minhyuk did it.

"Hey, stop it! Let's make a plan" Hoseok ordered, and they complied. They had to figure something out before the whole city got buried in snow. "How about we split and search for a window or something where Changkyun, Kihyun or Hollie can sneak out?" he asked, and the others agreed it was a good idea - except for Changkyun, who protested about him having to crawl on the snow and try to stop a crazy woman. "Great! I'll go with Hollie" Hoseok intertwined his fingers with his girlfriend's tiny ones and quickly guided her to one of the corridors.

"I'll go with Kihyun then" Hyungwon announced, making the purple haired curse mentally. Why couldn't he go with Lucy? They were making out and fucking all day.

"Great! We make a good team" Kihyun pretended to be happy because he didn't want to offend Hyungwon, and they truly made a great team. But he really wanted to be with Changkyun so he could kiss him and tell him everything under a mistletoe.

"I'll go with Minhyuk-hyung!" Jooheon yelled, grabbing the blonde’s wrist to drag him out of the hall.

"Hey, don't fuck or I'll tell Jongwoon when he wakes up! I'm warning you!" Kihyun threatened. He wasn't exactly fond of finding anyone in the storage room fucking, and it was usually Minhyuk and Jooheon he found.

"Guess we'll go together for the first time" Lucy told Changkyun.

"Yup!" the younger replied with a smile.

"Hyungwon-oppa, why don't we go together" Lucy paused to wink. "And let Kihyun and Changkyun work together" she added, winking two more times.

"Nah, we can fuck later" Hyungwon answered, and Lucy palmed her face. "Let's go, Kihyun! Let's get some justice done!" he yelled as he walked through the hallways with Kihyun. The latter waited until they weren't visible anymore and he slapped Hyungwon's head hard. "Ah! What?!" he caressed his sore spot.

"You should have left me with Changkyun! I was close to confessing" Kihyun sighed, and Hyungwon immediately apologized. "It's fine... I'll do it when I get the courage... Now, let's find that window" he rubbed his palms together in excitement and then started searching around the building.

Changkyun stared at Kihyun as he left with Hyungwon. He was now sure he liked the tall one. They were always teaming up together and the purple haired wouldn't stop smiling while being with Hyungwon. Changkyun was jealous, but he wished Kihyun to be happy and he seriously hoped the elder could take Hyungwon under the mistletoe to kiss him. "What are you thinking about?" Lucy interrupted his inner debate.

"I'm just trying to remember where was the vent system" Changkyun lied. He knew perfectly fine where the ventilation system was and how to enter it. "Oh! I think I saw a vent in Jongwoon-hyung's office once! We can call Hollie and Hoseok so she crawls through there until she finds an exit" the black haired proposed, though Lucy shook her head in disbelief.

"You are sending my sister when you would fit perfectly fine in there? What a pussy" the girl disapproved. "We are going to that office and YOU'll go up there" she grabbed Changkyun's hand and dragged him around. The younger was extremely scared of those vents. What if it was full of rats? What if he caught a rare disease in there? Changkyun wanted to refuse, but he was sure Hollie wouldn't want to do it either. The elder sister was a neat freak, just like himself, and so was Kihyun. The only three who fit in there were obsessed with cleaning.

As Lucy guided him to Jongwoon's office, every tiny window around them exploded. Changkyun couldn't control it, he was very nervous and his mind started creating different case scenarios in which he died painfully. "Oh my fucking God! Stop panicking" Lucy yelled, slapping his head as if he was a dog and earning a pout from him. "I can call Kihyun if you are such a little sissy!" she sighed in annoyance, looking around to see if she found the other two anywhere. "Kihyun-oppa! Hyungwon-oppa!" she called as loud as she could, but no one replied. "Guess you'll have to face it" she pushed Changkyun - lightly - through the corridor and stopped when they finally reached the office. "Okay, I'll help you up" she said. "But I must warn you I'm very weak" she added and Changkyun pretended to cry. "Well, no one said it was nice having me as a partner" Lucy chuckled, trying to help the younger up and failing miserably. "Why am I even trying? There's a chair" the girl told him after doing it two more times, and she quickly moved the chair, also bringing another one to sit on it herself. "Go!" she encouraged, and Changkyun hesitantly took off the metal cover the vent had. A little bit of dust fell from there as he did it, and when he looked inside, there were spider webs and dust all over.

"Lucy-noona, I seriously can't" the black haired was turning pale, and Jongwoon's drawer exploded.

"There's no turning back" Lucy said, making Changkyun whine. The latter embraced his destiny and closed his eyes as he slid through the dirty surface, feeling Lucy's hands pushing his feet below. Once he managed to open them, he almost had a panic attack. His jumpsuit was all covered in dust and he yelled his lungs out when he saw a huge spider coming to him. He thought he would be eaten there, but the insect burst before it reached him. "What?!" Lucy asked, looking up in a 'worried' manner.

"A-a s-spider.." Changkyun muttered under his breath, feeling his eyes growing teary out of fear.

"Did you scream like that for a fucking spider?!" the girl asked in an exasperated tone of voice. "No, wait, I would have screamed too. Hate spiders" she added. "Just... Go on" Lucy encouraged, but Changkyun didn't know if he could. He took a deep - not that deep to avoid dust from coming in his nostrils or mouth - breath and crawled further into the vent system, trying to be strong.

"You sent him alone?!" Kihyun held Lucy's shoulders harshly, shaking her. He couldn't believe she let Changkyun go alone without any support or help. He would surely be scared in there, and Kihyun wanted to protect him more than ever. "Are you crazy?!" he went on shouting, and Lucy whined.

"Nothing will happen to him, okay?" the girl assured. "There were only spiders and dust there, nothing more" she confidently told him.

"Didn't you think he could get lost or stuck there?!" Lucy raised her shoulders and Kihyun decided he didn't want to hear more, he just jumped on the chair and got in the vent, ignoring the thick spider webs decorating the metallic ceiling. "Fuck"

"Is it too disgusting?" Hyungwon asked from Jongwoon's office.

"It is!" Kihyun answered. "I'll be back when I find him" he informed, crawling a little and realizing there was a clean line that followed the path Changkyun had taken before. "And no sex while I'm gone!" Kihyun ordered, but he heard kissing sounds which stopped once he said that.

"Um... Of course not! Disgusting" Lucy told the purple haired, but then Hyungwon giggled and more kissing could be heard. Kihyun just rolled his eyes and went on, following the marks on the floor. It was hard to crawl in that cramped space. Changkyun was surely scared in the middle of the vent, asking for help. The building was huge, and they didn't even know how to get out through there.

"I'll murder Lucy when I get out of here" he grunted, using his sleeve to move a spider web that was about to touch his hair. "Changkyun-ah!" Kihyun called. Maybe the younger wasn't that far away and would be able to hear his voice. "Kitty cat!" he tried again, but nothing came. The purple haired didn't give up though, he crawled a bit faster and followed the other's body prints. It was something easy to see due to all the dirt on the sides.

It felt like an eternity until he finally found the end of Changkyun's marks, and the vent was open. A little bit of snow was entering the narrow space and Kihyun quickly got there, peeping outside. There was a massive amount of snow covering not only the community centre but all the other buildings and houses. The purple haired stepped outside after making sure he wouldn't sink, and looked around in search for Changkyun. But before he could do anything, the snow he was standing on started moving and it slowly faded. "What the-" Kihyun spoke, tryinf to keep his balance as the snow disappeared. "Changkyun!" he yelled once everything was back to normal. "Changkyun-ah!" he kept on shouting, trying to find his crush as soon as possible.

"Hyung!" he heard from afar, and he turned to the side to find a gorgeous - extremely dirty - boy jogging in his direction with a huge grin on his face. "I did it!" he added, finally reaching his side. Kihyun blinked twice, and not even questioning the other's words, he hugged him tightly. They were both covered in dust and spider webs, but he didn't care. Kihyun had worried about Changkyun for long minutes and he squeezed him in his arms.

"I was fucking worried about you!" the purple haired said, probably leaving Changkyun deaf since he was so close to his ear. "Why did you listen to Lucy? When did you think it was a good idea, dumb kitty?" he asked and the younger giggled, hugging him back.

"I'm fine, hyung" Changkyun parted and stared into his eyes. His black hair looked messy and dirty, but he was still handsome in Kihyun's perspective. "I fixed everything!" he excitedly said.

"How?" Kihyun frowned, not believing the younger fixed the whole mess alone.

"Well, the woman causing the mess was trying to revert everything but she didn't know how to control her power... Just like each one of us" he sighed. "So I stayed with her until she could finally control her power" he smiled.

"You are such a nice person" Kihyun pet Changkyun's dirty hair, ruffling it in the end and making dust fall from it. The younger coughed and then chuckled.

"I think I need a shower" Changkyun shivered. "I feel spiders all over my body, even though I have none" he told Kihyun, earning a disgusted growl from him.

"I feel them too" the purple haired replied, intertwining his fingers with Changkyun's. "Let's go back to the community centre" he told Changkyun, dragging him to the main entrance. When they reached the glass doors, the others were waiting for them. They ran to hug the two, but stopped as soon as they noticed the dust and spider webs.

"Wow... What happened to you?" Minhyuk asked.

"They went into the vent system" Lucy covered her mouth, muffling her laughter.

"Seriously?!" the blond was extremely surprised.

"Yeah, while all of you were probably fucking, we were crawling through that awful and narrow space" Kihyun rolled his eyes. "And Changkyun solved the situation alone" he added and everyone seemed surprised.

"How? He's so useless" Minhyuk said, giggling right after.

"I'm not telling you how" the purple haired stuck his tongue at the others and guided Changkyun to the locker room. They thankfully had showers in one of the community centre's bathrooms, and they both headed there after looking for their clean clothes. As they showered - each of them in their own cubicle - they talked about different things, and Kihyun kept on thinking of another plan. He wouldn't confess on Christmas Eve, he was tired already, and he didn't want to do it in a rush.

"Hyung" Changkyun called him after a short silence. "Could you confess to the one you like?" he asked, making Kihyun laugh inside.

"I couldn't, kitty" the purple haired answered. "I'll probably do it next week... I'm drained out now" he added and heard the younger's soft hum.

"I wish you luck" Changkyun said.

"Thanks, I'll need it with this oblivious person" Kihyun chuckled, and they both finished showering in silence.

The community centre looked incredible with all those Christmas trees and lights all over. Kihyun thought Changkyun, Hollie, Lucy and Jooheon did a great job at decorating it. It was such a great amount of work, and Kihyun realized they did nothing in comparison. After spending Christmas with his annoying family, he went to Lucy's and Hollie's apartment and spent time with them, Hoseok, and Hyungwon. It was fun, even if Hyungwon was high as fuck. Lucy punched his arm hundreds of times that night because he wouldn't stop laughing on the floor. Kihyun liked their place, it was cozy and the sisters made them feel very comfortable. They were weird, but the purple haired liked them. Hollie asked about his confession when Hyungwon fell asleep on the floor and Hoseok on her lap on the couch, and Lucy listened carefully as Kihyun explained everything.

Trying to confess had been such a nightmare so far, and he was doubting it would ever work if Changkyun was such a dummy. The younger was very innocent, maybe too innocent for a relationship. Kihyun was scared because he didn't know if it'd work between them. "Ah... Such a nightmare" he whispered to himself as he walked through the cement path. Changkyun had sent him a lot of text messages during the holidays, and he knew the younger liked him back, but it wasn't that simple. A person who had never been in a relationship before wasn't easy to figure out.

They only talked about the things they usually talked about, though in the end Changkyun asked about his crush again. Kihyun wanted to say 'it's you, damn it!', but he didn't want to say it through messages. "What should I do?" he asked himself. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell him I liked someone" he sighed and someone suddenly slapped his shoulder hard. "Ah! Fucker" the purple haired rubbed his sore spot, turning around to punch Hoseok's chest. "Control your strength, hyung!" Kihyun rolled his eyes.

"Sorry" the muscular man chuckled, and Hyungwon suddenly appeared, catching up with them.

"Ah, I don't know what Ilhoon gave me yesterday... but I feel terrible today" the DJ spoke in a raspy voice, clearly experiencing the worst hangover ever. The other two shook their heads in disbelief. Why did the tall one accept drugs from his roommate if he knew he was a mess? Maybe because they were free, but it wasn't a good idea.

When the others arrived too and they all started working, Changkyun seemed a little off. Kihyun wanted to ask, though they weren't together and he had to help Hyungwon since they were carrying heavy stuff around. The purple haired decided to concentrate on his tasks in the end, and stopped paying attention to Changkyun for a while.

Hollie was working with Changkyun, and she was trying her best not to hear his thoughts, but it was impossible. She promised herself she wouldn't interfere in his and Kihyun's relationship but she couldn't believe her ears when she went closer to him to give him more garbage to place in the plastic bag. 'He likes Hyungwon because he's tall and handsome... Why can't I be like him? I'm short and my nose is huge, of course he doesn't like me...' and his thoughts went on like that. How could he think Kihyun liked Hyungwon? He was so dumb it hurt and Hollie had had enough of it already. She told Changkyun she had to go to the bathroom and headed to the hall, where Kihyun and Hyungwon were working.

"Kihyun-ah! Go and confess to that stupid kid, please. I seriously cannot take hearing his thoughts anymore" Hollie yelled, startling Kihyun. "I promised myself I wouldn't interfere but this is just too much! He thinks you like Hyungwon, for God's sake" she added and the purple haired snapped.

"What?! He thinks what?!" Kihyun seemed exasperated, and he asked Hollie to keep Hyungwon company while he headed to the park around the community centre. Hollie smiled at that, and started helping Hyungwon in silence. The tall one was already giggling, but she ignored him and hoped Kihyun managed to finally do it.

Kihyun couldn't believe it, he was seriously mad at Changkyun. Why was he so insecure and stupid? He clearly liked him, why couldn't he embrace it? The purple haired walked in a fast pace until he found the younger. "Changkyun-ah! You dumb cat, come here right now!" he yelled, making Changkyun get a bit scared. The latter complied anyway, and hesitantly approached Kihyun.

"What is it, hyung? Have I done some-" Changkyun's words were cut off by the purple haired's lips, and he seemed extremely startled as they kissed. The younger's eyes were wide and he was petrified, but he slowly relaxed and moved his lips against Kihyun's. The purple haired was so angry he didn't have any shame at that moment, and he enjoyed the kiss as much as he could. His heart raced as his arms reached for Changkyun's neck and he buried his fingers in his soft black hair. Changkyun hesitantly circled Kihyun's waist and brought him closer, deepening the kiss. The younger's lips felt so good the purple haired didn't want it to end, but he softly parted. He still wanted to confess, even if it was more than obvious. Changkyun could think he was just practicing with him to kiss Hyungwon later or something like that. The two of them stared into each other's eyes and Changkyun flashed him a tiny smile.

"You are so damn stupid; did you know that?" Kihyun asked and the younger chuckled. "It's you I like, not Hyungwon, YOU!" the purple haired made his companion giggle and gave him a soft peck on the lips as he finished his sentence. "How the fuck could you think I like Hyungwon? You are such an asshole" he kept on insulting him because he couldn't stop, giving him a tiny peck every time he shut up.

"So, Hollie read my mind and told you, huh?" Changkyun kind of asked and Kihyun just nodded in response. "I like you too, hyung" he whispered, brushing their noses together. "You made me realize how gay I am" he added and they both laughed. "I'm sorry for being so insecure and stupid..."

"Dumbass" the elder rolled his eyes. "I couldn't believe you" he sighed. He was about to say something else but Changkyun's eyes fell on his lips, and he leaned in before Kihyun could even react. 'Bold kitty' he thought, trying his best not to smile while their lips were connected. They spent a lot of time kissing, just standing near the lake with the birds singing around them. The place was so quiet they almost forgot where they were. The garbage bags and the tools they used were forgotten on the grass, though they couldn't care less. Kihyun tilted his head to the side at one moment, deepening the kiss without using his tongue. It was Changkyun's first time and rushing things wouldn't be good. Their lips moved together in sync, and they grew more addicted every second that passed.

"Hey, you two! Less kissing and more working" Jongwoon's voice interrupted their kiss, and Kihyun wanted so bad to tell him how the others always fucked in the locker room or in the storage room, but he kept it to himself and gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"I'm so happy I had my first kiss with you today" Changkyun kissed his cheek, giving him a tight hug.

"Um... about that" Kihyun said. "This was your second kiss" he confessed, parting from his crush to laugh at his confused face.

"What do you mean?" the younger asked, growing nervous.

"We kissed a few weeks ago" the purple haired explained, playing with the sleeves of his jumpsuit as he spoke. "I accidentally controlled you because I was craving for your lips so badly... I'm sorry..." he apologized because he knew it must have felt awful not to remember his first kiss.

"Really?" Changkyun blinked several times, not completely getting it yet. "W-why didn't you tell me?" he seemed so confused.

"I didn't do it because you are so dumb you would have thought I was joking" the elder told him the truth. "Besides, I wanted to confess properly..." he added. "And I ended up doing this instead..." he growled. "All because of you... you spoiled my confession" Kihyun heard Changkyun's little giggle and couldn't help to smile. "You have to be thankful you are cute, kitty" he pecked Changkyun's lips once more.

"You have so much patience with me" the younger said. "Thank you, hyung" he grinned, and they kissed one more time before cleaning the lake together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened!!  
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter ^^


	12. Finally Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here's chapter 12 (or 11 considering the first one is just the prologue xD)  
> Hope you enjoy!! <3
> 
> The next chapter will take a bit longer because it's not finished yet...  
> I'll do my best to finish it quickly  
> But I beg you to put up with me haha  
> I started my second semester and it's kind of difficult already xD
> 
> Thank you for your support! Enjoy!!

Returning to the community centre hand in hand with huge smiles on their faces was something Kihyun had been craving for long. It felt so good to be able to kiss someone and hold hands without having to think about anything. The purple haired knew he could go and intertwine their fingers out of nowhere, and the younger would have a positive reaction every single time he did it. Kihyun had never imagined he would find his first real relationship during his community service. He actually thought the other offenders would be terrible people and he would have to take care of himself not to get robbed or stabbed out of nowhere. But he was wrong, the others were pretty good, even if he wanted to punch their faces at some moments.

When they were about to enter the community centre, Changkyun stopped him. Kihyun knew what his companion was about to say, but he stared at him, waiting patiently for him to speak. The black-haired avoided eye contact as he blushed, squeezing the elder’s hand in nervousness. “Hyung” he called in a barely audible whisper. “I’m shy” he added and Kihyun had to pinch his cheeks because he was being too adorable.

“Why are you shy? Haven’t we seen the others fuck a million times already?” the purple haired asked and Changkyun chuckled.

“Yeah, we have... but they’ll mock me because I didn’t know I was gay” the younger was totally right, Minhyuk would surely mock him, but he usually did it.

“Don’t they always?” Kihyun replied, and Changkyun thought for a few seconds.

“You are right, hyung. Why am I even worried?” he giggled, loosening his hold a bit. After that, Changkyun took a deep breath and they went past the glass doors. The group was there, and they were all staring expectantly at them. Kihyun raised their linked hands and grinned, earning whistles and loud 'woos' from the others. Changkyun blushed a deep shade of red when Minhyuk yelled 'finally!', and Kihyun laughed.

“Don’t pay attention to them” he whispered in the younger’s ear, trying to help him relax. Even if they were walking side by side, he could imagine Changkyun’s heart beating fast in his chest. The couple stopped once they reached the others, and Hoseok had a pout on his face.

"I still think my plan was perfect, I don't get why it didn't work" he said and the purple haired chuckled. The muscled one had been trying to convince them his mistletoe plan was better than any option. He even told Kihyun he should repeat it, when the truth was the plan sucked.

"It didn't work because the dumb kid here thought I wanted to kiss Hyungwon under the mistletoe" the purple haired replied, and everyone frowned except for Hollie and Hyungwon. The latter was already giggling as always, making Kihyun shake his head in disbelief. He sometimes wondered if the DJ was high 24/7, and with a roommate like Ilhoon, he wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

"You thought he liked Hyungwon?!" Minhyuk couldn't believe it.

"He did" Hollie rolled her eyes. "And I'd promised I wouldn't interfere, but I couldn't when I read his mind today" she sighed. "But I'm happy I did now" she smiled. "You look very cute together, guys" Hollie made a thumbs up and Hoseok imitated her, grinning at her after that.

"You seriously do" Lucy added, making Kihyun smile widely.

"Thanks, noonas" Changkyun shyly replied, and Kihyun felt his awkwardness. It was the younger's first relationship ever, and he never admitted he was gay in front of the others. The only one who knew there was a possibility of him liking men was Kihyun.

"I told you!!" Minhyuk pointed at Changkyun with his index finger. "We all knew you were gay" he added, feeling proud of himself.

"Well, I didn't, okay?" the black haired sighed. "I was very confused and I realized it when I started liking Kihyun-hyung" he explained and his cheeks were flaming red as he said the last words. The purple haired stared fondly at his companion and pecked his cheek lovingly. Now that they were dating, Kihyun didn't have any shame. He was a person who didn't care about other people's thoughts and opinions about himself, but Changkyun was the opposite. He even giggled nervously and covered his face when Kihyun kissed his cheek in front of the group.

"Don't be shy, dummy" the purple haired told him. "Those couples you see there fuck in here" he added and the three couples yelled 'hey!' in unison. "Well, am I not right?" he asked, shutting them up. "You can kiss me whenever you want, okay? We are together now" Kihyun smiled reassuringly at him, and petted his hair softly.

"Yes, hyung! I’ll try my best" Changkyun's nervousness faded a little, and they all headed to the locker room to change. They service was over for the day, and they were glad they could take off those awful orange jumpsuits.

"So, you just told him out of the blue, huh?" Hoseok asked while walking around half naked, still thinking Kihyun should have used his mistletoe plan because it was romantic. He insisted so much when he wanted something, and Kihyun found it hilariously annoying.

"I actually kissed him out of the blue" the purple haired replied, earning a horse laugh from the others. "Maybe I scared you a little" he turned to Changkyun, who had already finished changing clothes and was sitting on the bench next to Kihyun, playing with his phone to pretend he wasn’t listening. The younger lifted his gaze, staring at him instead of his cellphone, which was in his hands.

"Oh, not at all" Changkyun grinned. "You just surprised me because I thought you were about to kick me or punch me" he added and Kihyun remembered he actually shouted like a crazy man before the kiss. "I thought you were angry at me" Changkyun said, giving Kihyun a hesitant kiss on the lips. It was innocent and the purple haired felt his heart flutter. The younger's lips were soft and it felt good to know he was letting himself go.

"Well, I was angry" Kihyun gave Changkyun a kiss this time. "I was frustrated at how oblivious you were being" he confessed, earning a soft chuckle from the other.

"You meant to say stupid" Minhyuk interrupted their little chat and Kihyun rolled his eyes.

"Stop insulting him, he's just innocent" the purple haired held Changkyun's head against his chest and pecked his hair, protecting him from Minhyuk. His cheeks were flaming red once again, and Kihyun was secretly enjoying it. He thought Changkyun looked cute being a nervous mess, more if that reaction was caused by him. He felt good knowing he made the younger's heart flutter too.

"I'm just speaking the truth, Kihyun-ah" Minhyuk smiled.

Kihyun sighed loudly. "Just ignore him" he told Changkyun, letting go of him to then sit by his side. The both of them were ready, and they decided to wait for the others. Hoseok was still shirtless, and Hyungwon was playing a video game in his phone. He had his jumpsuit half off, half on, so Kihyun figured they would be there for at least 15 more minutes. Seeing that, he intertwined his fingers with Changkyun's slim ones, making circular motions with his thumb. The boy turned to look at him, and Kihyun swore he could hear his heart beating loudly. "You are cute" the purple haired whispered, pecking Changkyun's nose. His cheeks were so red Kihyun thought his head would burst any minute. But his head didn't, Jooheon's water bottle did. The latter got extremely startled and started insulting right away.

"Hey! Stop making him nervous before everything explodes" Jooheon growled, drying his hand on his jeans. "I'll mop the floor" he rolled his eyes, heading to the storage room in his angry state.

"I'm sorry!" Changkyun yelled. Guilt was evident in his eyes. "I don't know how to control it" he was so frustrated about his power, so Kihyun squeezed his hand in a comforting manner.

"Don't worry, Changkyunnie. Just Lucy, Hyungwon and Sokkie know how" Hollie said. "Jooheon is exaggerating, nothing happened" she smiled at the younger, making him feel better. “It’s just water” Hollie said.

"Hey!" Lucy suddenly yelled, slapping Hyungwon's arm. "Change!" she ordered, seeing that the tall one hadn't moved from his spot yet. "We are waiting for you, dumbass!" she grunted. “Hoseok-oppa isn’t naked anymore, so I have nothing to entertain myself with anymore” she complained, surprising Hoseok. He covered his upper body, even if it was covered, and the others laughed, including Hollie. She knew her boyfriend had a hot body. She didn’t mind people staring at him, not even her own sister.

"Auuu!" Hyungwon caressed his own shoulder in pain. "I hate you" he told Lucy, finally moving from his spot.

"Well, I hate you too" she smirked, slapping Hyungwon's head and making him yelp in pain once again. It was what they usually did, and Changkyun – due to unknown reasons – found them cute. Kihyun thought his boyfriend was crazy because he usually felt like murdering them.

They started one of their fights at that point, and everyone remained silent while they did so. Jooheon was mopping the floor, but he only cursed under his breath; he was barely audible. The group ended up leaving the building almost 40 minutes late. There was no sign of Jongwoon, but when they went out of the building, they saw him smoking while eating a sandwich. "Ah… I'm hungry" Hyungwon whined, holding his stomach.

"I think we are all hungry, Hyungwon-hyung" Changkyun said, surprising the others.

"Damn, if you are hungry Hoseok-hyung must be dying" Minhyuk joked.

"I am!" said Hoseok, making the group laugh. "Why do you laugh? It's a serious matter, okay?" the strong one complained, but only managed to make them laugh once more.

"Don't worry, Seokkie-oppa. I'll buy you your favorite food, how does that sound?" Hollie told her boyfriend, making him jump in happiness and pick her up from the floor to spin around the cement path.

"Could it be two plates?" he asked in a whisper, and she nodded, turning around to roll her eyes. "Or three?" Hoseok kept on adding plates and Hollie chuckled. He was usually childlike, and that was something the girl secretly enjoyed. She didn’t admit it out loud, but Kihyun knew it.

"I'll buy you five" she said, knowing the man would insist until he got a 'reasonable' amount of food. “By the way, what are you guys doing? Are you heading home for lunch?” Hollie asked, turning to look at the group.

“I should go home…” Changkyun replied, pouting unconsciously. Kihyun’s gaze automatically fell on him. He was disappointed because he wanted to spend more time with him. They had just confessed to each other.

“Oh… how about we have lunch together and then you go home?” Hoseok told the younger, winking at Kihyun afterwards. Apparently, he had realized his disappointment and was trying to help.

“Um… I don’t know” Changkyun seemed pensive. “My mom’s angry at me… I don’t think she’ll let me stay” he added.

“You can just stay without telling her” Lucy suggested. “Then you arrive home and act like nothing happened” she nodded as if her plan was very smart.

“Um… I don’t-

“She’s right!!” Hoseok screamed his lungs out. “That’s a great idea!” he was so enthusiastic everyone realized what he was trying to do. But Kihyun doubted Changkyun did, he was always so oblivious.

“It is” Minhyuk stepped into the conversation too. “You should listen to Lucy; she’s got a point there” he used his power of persuasion. “If you don’t tell her anything, you aren’t lying” he explained.

“You can eat twice!” Hoseok kept on adding things, and the others were holding their laughter. His behavior was too funny. “I do it all the time. It’s very, very easy” said the strong one. “I can teach you” he grinned charmingly, though Hollie kicked his shin softly in order to stop him.

“That’s enough, Sokkie” she whispered so Changkyun wouldn’t hear her.

“Think about it, Changkyunnie” Hyungwon opened his mouth for the first time since he stopped fighting with Lucy. “You could spend more time with your favorite DJ” he pointed at himself with his big boney hands.

“I guess you meant he can spend more time with his boyfriend?” Kihyun rolled his eyes.

“Oh, yeah, that too” Hyungwon agreed.

“Okay, I’ll stay… maybe you are right, I could just omit details and I wouldn’t be lying” Changkyun finally understood what the others meant, but Kihyun doubted he would be able to eat twice; he had such a tiny stomach. Maybe he could pretend he wasn’t hungry because he ate a lot of snacks during community service.

“Yay!” Lucy yelled, circling an arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. “Let’s go eat hamburgers, I’m really craving for one” she suggested, and the others liked the idea.

“Oh!” Hollie stopped in the middle of the cement path and started searching for something in her backpack. “I forgot about this” she took three tiny envelopes with a pretty ribbon and gave them to Jooheon, Minhyuk and Changkyun. “Merry Christmas! We bought one for each of you, but since you didn’t go to our apartment, we brought them here” she explained. The three boys thanked the girls and proceeded to open the gifts, getting surprised once they had the items in their hands. Hoseok and Hyungwon laughed at their shocked faces, and Lucy and Hollie were smirking, proud of their creations. Kihyun chuckled, and grabbed Changkyun’s present to check it out.

The gifts were customized pins with a derp photo of their own faces. The sisters took the pics when the others were distracted and decided to create something funny. According to them, it was pure art. Kihyun wondered how they took such good pictures, they were neat and taken in the perfect moment. The purple haired had one too, but Changkyun’s was priceless. “When did you take this?” the youngest asked.

“We took it one of the times your locker exploded” Lucy answered. “It’s too good! Don’t you think?” she asked, making Changkyun laugh.

“I love it!” Minhyuk exclaimed, hanging his from his coat. “You are geniuses” he complimented.

“We know” the sisters muttered in unison.

“Well, I think it’s stupid” Jooheon sighed, pocketing his pin.

“You can give it back if you don’t want it, we spent money on it” Lucy told him with a glare on her face.

“Let him be” Hollie said, raising her shoulders. “Let’s go eat before Sokkie-oppa dies of hunger” she added, and Hoseok smiled fondly. She did buy five hamburgers for him later, and he finished them all. The others were watching him eat as if he would experience a heart attack soon. Changkyun was worried because he believed they would have to take Hoseok to the hospital. But that wasn’t the case. The muscular man ate a lot; he was used to it.

After waiting for a few minutes for Hoseok to digest his food, they went out of the place. They had to head back home, but none of them wanted to leave. Minhyuk and Jooheon were the first ones to do it, though. Apparently, Jooheon had to take care of his grandma and Minhyuk had to clean his apartment. “The dirt is starting to cover my bed already” were his words, and the others scrunched their noses in disgust – except for Hyungwon, who didn’t care much about dirt -.

Not long after, the sisters left – being followed by Hoseok -, and Hyungwon told Kihyun and Changkyun he would go sleep before he had to work. Kihyun stared at Changkyun once everyone was gone. He wanted to invite him over, but he knew it wasn’t such a good idea. “Hyung” the younger spoke first, surprising the purple haired. “Can I walk you home?” he asked, shyly reaching for his hand. His soft fingers slid through Kihyun’s palm until their fingers were tangled.

“Don’t you have to go home quickly?” the elder wondered, remembering Changkyun’s hesitation when Hollie suggested they should eat together.

“I should… but I’ve stayed for long already” Changkyun smiled lovingly, showing his cute dimples and making Kihyun melt at the sight. “I’m going to be grounded anyway” he added, chuckling at his own words. The purple haired laughed, nodding his head in agreement.

“Let’s go, then” Kihyun said, kissing Changkyun’s cheek. As they walked side by side, holding hands, Kihyun thought about the younger’s annoying family and how they would make their relationship work without them noticing. Changkyun seemed relaxed, and the purple haired knew that should be enough for him to feel the same way, but it wasn’t. Changkyun was silent, so Kihyun missed his worried stare. However, he didn’t try to ask Kihyun what was wrong, he just clung to him, hugging him and kissing his temple tenderly. The elder turned to look at him in surprise and then smiled softly. “You are less shy now, I see” he said, making Changkyun giggle.

“Yes, but just when I’m alone with you” the younger replied, and Kihyun rolled his eyes as a joke. “I know, the others fuck in front of us, I shouldn’t be shy” he said. “But it’s hard for me since I’ve never had a boyfriend before… not even a girlfriend” he laughed nervously, and Kihyun told him it was fine. He didn’t mind Changkyun being shy. They got together a few hours ago. “I hadn’t even kissed someone before you kissed me weeks ago” he frowned. “I’m such a virgin” he joked, making Kihyun laugh out loud.

“Well, you are” the purple haired mocked him, earning a pout from him. They talked the whole time during their trip. Kihyun’s apartment wasn’t that far from the community centre, but they took almost 40 minutes. They decided to walk so they could spend more time together, and Changkyun’s mom started calling him repeatedly. The younger didn’t pick up, something Kihyun thought as dangerous considering his mom was very angry lately. Changkyun was a good student and did everything he was told to do. Kihyun didn’t get why she was like that all the time. Once the couple reached the building’s main door, Changkyun finally picked up. The woman yelled at him for long minutes, but the younger managed to calm her down inventing a fake story about their probation worker. That seemed to work every single time. She couldn’t argue when their superior was the responsible one.

The moment he hung up, Kihyun hugged him, resting his chin on his shoulder. Changkyun circled his waist, and they stayed that way for a while, not saying a single word. The street around them was noisy. Kihyun’s neighbors entered or left the building, passing by them in silence. “Hyung” the younger whispered, breaking their bubble. “I should leave” he added, sighing loudly as he let go of his boyfriend.

“I hate your parents” Kihyun told him, and they laughed together. Changkyun then took his hands and gave him a kiss on the lips; a long and sweet kiss Kihyun enjoyed a lot.

“Bye” the younger whispered, giving the purple haired a quick peck to then leave him alone there. He waved one last time before heading to the bus stop, and Kihyun flashed him a huge smile.

“I’ll miss you” Kihyun said, even though Changkyun couldn’t hear him, and then he went upstairs, entering his flat. Jihoon was there with his girlfriend, so he greeted them and headed to his bedroom. He didn’t want to intrude, and he decided to tell his roommate later about what happened. He was happy, and he got even happier when he checked his cellphone and saw a text from Changkyun.

_I’ll miss you…_

_Why don’t we go somewhere tomorrow?_

_Consider it our first official date :P_

He texted back, giggling to himself.

_I’ve never been on a date before!_

_I’m excited_

Changkyun replied, making Kihyun happier and happier each moment.

_I’m excited too <3_

_By the way, what are you doing? Are you on the bus already?_

Kihyun asked, and they texted for 30 minutes until Changkyun arrived home.

The next day, Kihyun woke up with a smile on his face. Changkyun and him had planned their date carefully the night before, and he was excited. He even picked an outfit from his cupboard and left it on his bed. Changkyun’s idea was to go have lunch to a noodle restaurant located near a karting track in Songpa-gu, and then ride those karting cars. To be honest, Kihyun was nervous. He wasn’t a good driver. He would have chosen a more romantic date. Maybe go to the movies so he could kiss Changkyun in the dark, or the amusement park to ride the rollercoaster and kiss Changkyun in the dark… well, just any place where he could kiss Changkyun. But his boyfriend enthusiastically gave him all the details about the karting track, and how fun it would be to try it. Obviously, he had to say yes. Moreover, he loved the noodle place, and Kihyun couldn’t say he didn’t want to eat there. He totally wanted to.

“You could try to convince him the track is very expensive… because it is” Jihoon proposed a solution that seemed good. Though Kihyun remembered Changkyun had a lot of money. He would surely pay for the purple haired’s ticket as he did when Hoseok was hungry and had no money.

“He’d want to pay for my ticket” Kihyun sank into the couch while holding his cup of coffee in his hands. “I guess I’ll have to do my best” he said, facing his destiny.

“Well, maybe you could bring him here after your date” Jihoon winked. “I’ll be at my girlfriend’s parents’ house till late tonight” he sighed. “She wants them to meet me… and I think it’s something inevitable…” he didn’t seem so convinced. He looked quite scared, actually.

“You’ll do great! Don’t worry too much” Kihyun patted his roommate’s back. “You are way too short… but I think that’s part of your charm” he mocked Jihoon, laughing afterwards. The shorter one showed him the middle finger but chuckled anyway. “But seriously speaking… I don’t think Changkyun will come here after our date” Kihyun said. “His parents don’t let him do anything” he whined, and it was Jihoon’s turn to feel sorry for him. “Besides, he wouldn’t want to do anything; he’s way too innocent and I don’t really want to do anything either” he explained. “It’s too fast”

“Oh, I didn’t mean you could bring him here to fuck” Jihoon clarified. “I just thought you could make out or something more… but not sex” he said, and Kihyun chuckled.

“He wouldn’t want that either” the purple haired grunted. “As I told you, he’s way too innocent” he added. “He had his first kiss with me” he explained, making Jihoon get surprised.

“Aw, that’s so cute” said Jihoon.

“Yeah, I guess it’s cute” Kihyun raised his shoulders. “At least he won’t know if I’m a terrible kisser” they both laughed at that.

As it was expected, Kihyun left his apartment way too early. He was feeling nervous and he had to do something before he went crazy. Changkyun would be waiting for him at the noodle place, since he lived near there. Kihyun decided to take the subway, because it would have been a long bus ride. On his way, he received thousands of messages from Minhyuk, saying they should do something since it was Sunday. Kihyun read all the replies and found them funny. The group was pure comedy to the purple haired. Hoseok having his fourth breakfast, Hyungwon feeling sleepy or answering incoherent stuff, Minhyuk annoying everyone, and the sisters saying the same things even when they were apart.

Kihyun remained silent, pretending he didn’t have his phone with him, and Changkyun apparently had the same idea. If they replied, the others would surely start joking and mocking them. So, to avoid it, it was better not to answer at all. However, it didn’t work. Minhyuk got impatient and asked Hoseok about Kihyun. Since they had become good friends during their community service, the blond usually asked Hoseok. The latter told him he didn’t know, and Kihyun rolled his eyes when he saw Minhyuk’s next message.

**Bitch-hyuk**

_I bet they are fucking for the first time_

**Catkyun**

_Hey! We are not!_

The purple haired sighed. Changkyun shouldn’t have fell for that. It was Minhyuk’s way of getting what he wanted. But he wouldn’t trick Kihyun, he didn’t want to answer and he wouldn’t do it.

**Bitch-hyuk**

_Then, what ARE you doing?_

**Catkyun**

_I was studying for college!_

_Kihyun-hyung isn’t here with me…_

**Bitch-hyuk**

_Such a responsible baby_

_Kihyun-ah! Are you jerking off?_

**Hoseok**

_He’s surely sleeping!_

_Or taking a shower_

**Lazy ass**

_But Kihyun doesn’t sleep that much_

**Bitch-hyuk**

_That’s right_

_Why do you think I’m asking?_

**Sister number two**

_Let him jerk off!_

_Poor man_

_As if you didn’t do it, Minhyuk-oppa_

**Bitch-hyuk**

_I’m not judging him!_

_Of course I do it_

After reading those messages, Kihyun locked his phone and pocketed it, not wishing to see anything else. He was about to arrive, and he wanted to be focused so he didn’t miss his stop. As he walked through the streets, he admired the scenery. He didn’t go there often because it was too far from his flat. With his job, his studies, and his community service, he barely had time to breathe in between. On Sundays, he had his well-deserved free time, but he usually stayed near his dorm. And there were other times he had to study.

Before arriving at the noodle place, he heard his name being called. He turned around and saw Changkyun running in his direction. The younger was out of breath and was carrying a single rose in his hand. Kihyun smiled while Changkyun caught his breath and finally managed to speak. “Hi” he shyly said, giving the flower to the purple haired. His face matched the color of the rose, and Kihyun had to pinch his cheeks at the cuteness. “You look very handsome, hyung” he complimented, covering his face in shame right after. Kihyun held his wrists and slowly lowered his hands, revealing his red face to peck his lips.

“You look very handsome too, Kitty” the elder whispered as he parted. “Thank you for this” he raised the flower a little.

“I’m glad you liked it!” Changkyun was so nervous he yelled that out. “I w-wanted to be romantic” he explained, even though it wasn’t necessary, and made Kihyun laugh.

“Relax, dummy” the purple haired petted his hair. “Just be yourself” he told him. “It’s not like we met yesterday” he chuckled.

“You are right” Changkyun sighed. “I’m sorry, I wanted to show you I could be good at dating… but I guess I’m not” he said, and they both giggled.

“I’m not good either, don’t worry” Kihyun made Changkyun feel better. “Just pretend this is a normal Sunday” he reached for the younger’s hand and guided him to the restaurant. When they entered the place, Kihyun smiled. It wasn’t a luxurious restaurant; it was cozy and homey. He knew the food wouldn’t be expensive, and he thanked Changkyun mentally for it. The purple haired thought maybe his boyfriend would like to take him to an expensive place. Since they started dating, he believed Changkyun would wish to impress him. But that wasn’t the case, and it made him happy.

The couple sat by one of the windows and ordered their plates of noodles. Changkyun told Kihyun he had been there several times before. The old lady working there knew him, just like all the waiters and the cook. The food was so good the purple haired had to order a second plate. He was having so much fun he momentarily forgot about the karting cars. They were talking and laughing as they usually did, and Kihyun knew Changkyun was relaxed. Every single time the younger smiled, his dimples could be seen. Kihyun’s heart skipped a beat at the sight, and he kept on making him laugh to see it.

It was weird to know they were on a date. Even though they had been together like that a lot of times, Kihyun didn’t feel like those times. Before kissing Changkyun out of the blue and finally telling him the whole truth, he felt anxious and impatient. His words were always caught in his throat and he went to sleep thinking about a plan to confess. That Sunday was completely different. That Sunday, he could be himself and feel free, and Changkyun too. They weren’t able to kiss in public, but that wasn’t a problem. Kihyun would kiss the younger during their community service every single minute he could.

After paying for their food, Changkyun intertwined their fingers and guided him to their second destination. “Hey, I have a confession to make” Kihyun muttered. “I’m a terrible driver” he admitted, making Changkyun chuckle and turn to look at him.

“Me too” the black haired said, and Kihyun frowned. Why were they there if he was also terrible? “But it’s fun, you’ll see” Changkyun assured. “It’s not like a real car, it’s easier” the elder wanted to refuse and leave before he died in a karting car accident, but seeing his boyfriend’s grin made him surrender. He felt nervous, but maybe Changkyun was right. He had to trust him for once in his life and let himself go. It would be fun if he tried his best.

However, when they arrived, Kihyun had to pull from Changkyun’s hand and tackle him. A woman next to them was eating a snack and it exploded when Changkyun fell on the floor. The lady was extremely startled and told her husband about it, trying to find an explanation that never came. “What?” the younger asked, rubbing the knee that hit the floor first. He was in pain, but the elder had to do it.

“I saw Hyungwon” Kihyun whispered, checking the crowd to be sure. As he did so, he saw Lucy and Hollie too. He was sure Hoseok wasn’t far, and Minhyuk surely brought Jooheon with him. “Oh shit, they are here” he cursed, slowly crawling through the cement blue surface while holding the rose in his left hand, not to be seen – dragging Changkyun with him -. He then sat on the floor and checked his phone, which was forgotten in his pocket the whole time they were eating. When he did it, he understood why they were there.

**Bitch-hyuk**

_I have an idea!_

_You’ll love it…_

_Let’s go kart racing!!_

**Hoseok**

_That’s a great idea!_

**Sister number one**

_Lucy and I are in!_

**Lazy ass**

_Me too. I love driving_

**Bitch-hyuk**

_Heony is in, too_

_Kihyun!! Changkyun!!_

_Answer, damn it!_

_They are surely fucking_

And it went on and on. Kihyun showed the messages to Changkyun and they both pretended to cry. “What do we do?” the younger asked, feeling suddenly defeated.

“Let’s go somewhere else” the purple haired suggested. “We can go to my place and watch some movies or play games… what do you say?” he proposed, crossing his fingers behind his back. He really wished Changkyun would say yes, and maybe he would be able to teach him some things about making out.

“Yeah, sure” the black haired surprised him with his answer. Kihyun thought he would give any excuse he could come up with, but he didn’t. “Run!” he held Kihyun’s hand tightly and dragged him to the main gate, escaping as fast as they could.

“Hey! There they are!” Minhyuk yelled, making them stop on their tracks.

“Damn it” whispered Changkyun, covering his mouth right after. “Sorry” he apologized, and Kihyun giggled.

“They read the messages!” the blond approached the couple, circling an arm around their shoulders and squeezing them. “I thought you were fucking” he said.

“We were on a date, okay?” Kihyun growled, pushing Minhyuk’s arm from his shoulder. “That’s why we didn’t want to reply” he explained. “Because we knew you would ruin it” he added. “But you happened to choose the same place we chose” he whined, and Changkyun pouted, nodding his head in agreement.

“Oh… I see!” Hoseok shouted, walking in their direction. “I totally get you” he patted their backs with a pitiful expression. “I wouldn’t have told us either” he said. “I’m sorry, guys” he apologized, even though it wasn’t his fault at all. “But since you are here… let’s go together!” he hugged the both of them. “Aw, Changkyunnie gave you a rose! How romantic of him” Hoseok took the flower from Kihyun’s hand and smelled it, returning it right after.

“Yeah, whatever” Kihyun answered, following them to the line with the rose squeezed in between his crossed arms.

“Hey, tell us the truth” Minhyuk spoke when they were waiting. “Were you fucking?” he asked, and Kihyun punched his arm. “What? Isn’t this flower your payment?” he joked, and Kihyun glared so hard at him he was surprised he didn’t turn into ashes right there.

“We weren’t fucking! Stop that!” the purple haired yelled, and people started turning around to look at them. “Sorry” he apologized, making them face front once again. “We were eating noodles” he whispered, punching Minhyuk some more to release tension. Besides, he was angry at the blond; he couldn’t believe how annoying he was.

“Ah! Stop it” Minhyuk protested. “You punch too hard to be so tiny” with those words, Kihyun’s cheeks turned red, but not out of shame, out of anger. Changkyun widened his eyes and quickly tried to calm him down, circling an arm around his form and caressing his back in a soothing manner.

“I’m gonna win this race!” Kihyun yelled, crossing his arms over his chest once more and ignoring Minhyuk for the rest of the wait. Hoseok and Changkyun talked to him, wishing he would forget about it. But Kihyun didn’t. He wanted to defeat Minhyuk; it was his way of releasing his anger.

The moment their turn came, the purple haired left his things in a locker, put the gear on, and listened carefully to the instructor. Changkyun was standing by his side, glancing at him from time to time to be sure he was fine. He had been there before, so he knew the rules and the important thing to take into account. Once the instructor was done explaining, he took the group to the cars. They played rock, paper, and scissors to decide the positions they would take off at. Hoseok won, so he rapidly went to the first car. Minhyuk had the second one, Lucy the third, Kihyun the fourth, Hyungwon the fifth, Jooheon the sixth, Hollie the seventh, and Changkyun the eighth. The youngest had such bad luck, but he didn’t mind though. Winning wasn’t in his priorities; he just wanted to have fun.

Hoseok made fun of the others, sticking his tongue out at them and dancing in a funny way. “I’m first, bitches!” he kept on repeating. But once the instructor lifted the black and white flag, he focused on the track. Kihyun was determined to win. He didn’t care he sucked at driving. As Changkyun said before, karting cars were easier to drive than real ones. He was sure he could do it now. When he saw the flag going down, he immediately took off, leaving Lucy behind. Minhyuk was right in front of him, so he sped up, passing him and waving his hand to mock him. They had three laps left, and Kihyun wanted to keep the second position. He didn’t care about Hoseok. He was already far away, and he seemed to be a good driver. But Minhyuk was trying to pass him, and he wouldn’t allow it.

Kihyun went from left to right, preventing the blond from going any faster. He felt so good at seeing him so pissed; it was his objective from the beginning. The first lap went fast, and Minhyuk couldn’t do anything. However, when the second lap came, Hyungwon appeared out of nowhere and passed the both of them. ’How is that even possible?’ he thought, speeding up as much as he could. The gray haired was near Hoseok, and Kihyun felt so confused. Hyungwon was usually lazy, but he seemed eager to win.

Seeing that it was impossible to reach them, Kihyun gave up on the second position and settled for passing Minhyuk. That was a good decision because, not so long after, Hollie appeared, passing everyone, even Hoseok. The girl was going so fast she ended up winning the race with one lap of difference, and Hoseok couldn’t stop staring at her with hearts in his eyes the moment they got out of the cars. “You are amazing!!” he yelled, picking Hollie up from the floor and kissing her helmet all over. Hoseok took his off the moment he went out of the karting car, so he was barefaced. As the muscled man kissed her, the girl giggled in a way Kihyun had never seen before, and he could tell she behaved differently when she was alone with her boyfriend. She just pretended to be tough while hanging out with the group.

“Such a cute couple” said Lucy with a smile, taking her helmet off and placing it under her arm. “By the way, you didn’t win” she mocked Kihyun, thinking it would affect him. But the purple haired was satisfied. He just wanted to piss Minhyuk off. “My sister is the best” she added, smirking.

“I don’t care. I’m happy” Kihyun surprised Lucy with his answer. “I just wanted to win against Minhyuk” he laughed evilly, making the blond growl in annoyance. “You lost against me” he pointed at Minhyuk’s face with his index finger. “I failed my license exam three times and you lost against me!” he shouted happily.

“It’s not fair! You controlled me with your power!” Minhyuk said, and Kihyun laughed even harder.

“Really?” the blond nodded as an answer. “I’m awesome” Kihyun fabulously moved his bangs with his index finger, feeling even better now that he knew his power worked on its own. “I had so much fun” he said, walking along with the others to leave the track.

“I told you it was fun” Changkyun approached him, shyly pecking his cheek. Kihyun turned to look at him and pinched his cheeks once they reached the room where they kept the gear. They quickly took everything off, grabbed their belongings, and headed outside.

“You are so slow, Kitty” Kihyun spoke in the voice he used whenever he talked to puppies or small animals, and Changkyun chuckled. Kihyun saw the younger reach the finish line last, but he wasn’t expecting something different.

“Well… I want to stay alive…” the youngest raised his shoulders, and the others laughed. “It’s dangerous to go fast!” he added. “My brother broke his arm once…” he explained, and Kihyun rolled his eyes.

“Your brother is a special case” the purple haired chuckled. “You have to experience the adrenaline of going fast!” he held Changkyun’s hands – keeping the rose in between their fingers - and swung them around. Kihyun took every chance he could to touch his boyfriend, or kiss his cheek. They couldn’t kiss their lips in public, but the small touches made Kihyun happy.

“I have experienced a lot of adrenaline since I started my community service, and I don’t enjoy it” Changkyun replied, whining like a kid. He tightened his hold on Kihyun’s hands, though, not letting go of him. “Besides, my power doesn’t let me enjoy adrenaline” he whispered not to be heard by unwanted ears, and the whole group nodded. Kihyun had forgotten about his awful power. Every time Changkyun felt nervous, scared, or experienced too much adrenaline, everything around him exploded.

“You are right. Going slow is good for you” the purple haired chuckled, pecking his nose quickly not to be seen by the crowd that was waiting to enter the track. “Hey” Kihyun murmured, trying to avoid being heard by the group. “Do you maybe still want to come to my flat and watch movies?” he asked. “I can make popcorn” he offered to tempt Changkyun.

“Sure!” the younger smiled.

“Me too!” Hyungwon raised his hand, but Kihyun grabbed his boyfriend’s wrist and quickly dragged him to the subway stop, leaving the whole group behind.


End file.
